STOCKTON, Calif. – The San Diego Gulls (10-6-1-0; 21 pts.) had their franchise record eight-game winning streak come to an end after a 4-0 loss to the Stockton Heat (11-5-1-1; 24 pts.) at Stockton Arena. The Gulls matched the Lehigh Valley Phantoms for the longest win streak and unbeaten run in the AHL this season after winning eight consecutive games from Nov. 11-Dec. 2. The win streak is San Diego’s second-longest unbeaten run in franchise history after going 9-0-2 during an 11-game unbeaten streak from Feb. 19-Mar. 16, 2016.
Stockton Heat
Gulls goaltender Dustin Tokarski picked up his third loss of the season (8-3-0), ending his streak of six consecutive wins dating back to Nov. 11. Tokarski stopped 35-of-39 shots on the night after starting back-to-back games for the first time this season. In his last seven games, Tokarski is 6-1-0 with a .919 save percentage (SV%) and 2.36 goals-against average (GAA).
During his six-game win streak, Tokarski posted a .925 SV% and a 2.07 GAA. Tokarski’s unbeaten run matches the third-longest such streak in his career when he won six consecutive games from Dec. 26, 2013-Jan. 12, 2014. In the 2011-12 season, Tokarski posted an 11-game winning streak to close out the season from Feb. 10-Apr. 14, 2012 and won seven consecutive games the following season from Dec. 26, 2012-Jan. 11, 2013.
The story of the night was Stockton goaltender David Rittich (4-3-0-2), who stopped all 37 shots faced to earn his third shutout of the season (tied for first among all league goaltenders) and he now leads the AHL with a 1.43 GAA and .949 SV%. In addition to Rittich’s stellar play, forward Morgan Klimchuk led the Heat offensively with two goals (2-0=2), including a shorthanded tally.
A scoreless first period saw both clubs play a tight-checking and detailed defensive frame with both teams trading power plays late in the period and each goaltender coming up with big saves. The defensive battle continued into the second periods as the Tokarski and Rittich matched one another save-for-save.
The rest of the second period belonged to Tokarski as he made several key stops in the latter stages of the period, including a tremendous save on Bryan Bollig’s bid off the rush with a minute remaining to keep the game scoreless after 40 minutes of play.
At 4:03 of the third period the Heat broke the tie, when Klimchuk beat Tokarski with a well-placed wrist shot for his sixth goal of the season. Just 35 seconds later Stockton doubled their lead when Jamie Devane found Hunter Smith from behind the net and the young forward tipped one past Tokarski to give Stockton a 2-0 advantage.
San Diego earned a power play at 7:53 and looked to cut the Heat’s lead in half, but Klimchuk foiled any Gulls comeback attempt when he finished off a breakaway opportunity by burying his own rebound to extend Stockton’s lead to 3-0.
Former Gull Matt Bailey added a tally at 12:47 and Stockton played stingy defense the rest of the way to preserve Rittich’s shutout.
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