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The Gulls were pumped to be back at Pechanga Arena after a four-game road swing.
One problem: the visiting Colorado Eagles looked far too comfortable most of the night before holding off a late San Diego rally en route to a 5-3 victory.
The Gulls (13-16-2-0) lost their third straight and dropped to 0-2 against third-place Colorado (19-11-3-2) this season on a night when they were outshot 40-18 and able to cash in one of five power-play chances.
Alex Limoges, Nikolas Brouillard and Trevor Carrick scored for the Gulls, who trailed 3-1 and 4-2 before a late Carrick goal made things interesting.
After the Gulls snapped off a flurry of potential game-tying shots in the final two minutes, Colorado’s Callahan Burke iced it with an empty-net goal with 15 seconds remaining.
Olle Erikkson Ek (36 saves) took the loss in net for San Diego. Justus Annunen (15 saves) earned the win for the Eagles.
The Gulls jumped out to a 1-0 lead on an Alex Limoges power-play goal at 17:13 of the first period, but Colorado quickly answered with an even-strength goal by the former Gull Kiefer Sherwood not even 30 seconds later.
The Eagles expanded their lead on second-period power-play goals from Kaut and Sherwood and the Gulls were left scrambling to play catch-up from that point on.
Through two periods, the Gulls had been outshot 31-5, a statistical dominance that was reflected by the overall flow of five-on-five play.
Limoges caught a break when Ammunen and a defensemen mishandled the puck while attempting to clear it and watched in what had to be horror as the puck slid directly toward a hustling Limgoes, who smashed it home for his eighth goal of the season.
Getting the power play going was a major emphasis during the team’s recent 2-2 road trip.
“Chemistry on the power play creates with it a little stability also and communication and being on the ice with the same guys,” assistant coach Max Talbot said about the team’s power play after weekend losses at Abbotsford. “That’s what a road trip like that can do.”
Erikkson Ek made the start in goal in place of rookie Francis Marotte, who started the previous seven games in his most extensive run as an AHL goalie.
Marotte is 3-3-1 with a 3.58 goals-against average and .892 save percentage and has steadily gained the confidence of teammates.
“Without Frankie (Marotte), we would have lost way more than the score,” said forward Morgan Adams-Moisan following Saturday’s 4-2 loss at Abbotsford in which Marotte finished with 23 saves. “He played a hell of a game, stood on his head and it’s the kind of performance that’s going to make him stay up here. He’s doing really well right now for us.”
The Gulls go back on the road for a pair of games at Iowa of the Central Division and open a four-game homestand Feb. 2 against Colorado.
Notable
Pechanga Arena is no longer accepting at-home COVID-19 tests. Rapid testing will be available prior to every home game starting three hours before puck drop.
Carter is a freelance writer.
