Generating scoring chances and putting the puck in the back of the net has not been a problem for the Gulls this season.
It sure was during a set of weekend games against the Colorado Eagles. The Gulls, who lead the AHL in scoring, were shut out for the second straight game, this time 2-0 on Saturday night at Pechanga Arena San Diego.
The Gulls (30-20-3-3) were outshot 30-28, went 0 for 2 on the power play and lost for the fourth time in five games. Colorado (30-22-3-1) has won six straight and moved within two points of San Diego for third place in the Pacific Division.
Kevin Boyle was back in net for San Diego after missing three games with an upper body injury. After stopping the first five shots he faced, Boyle was beaten by Tim McGauley on a tip-in off a rebound at 12:27 of the first period.
A.J. Greer beat Boyle with a smooth backhander at the end of a breakaway to make it 2-0 Colorado at 17:06 of the third period. Eagles goalie Spencer Martin earned the shutout victory one night after Pavel Francouz stopped 23 shots.
For the second straight night, the Gulls struggled to create clean ing and shooting angles against a big, physical and structurally disciplined Eagles team and when they did get shots on net, Spencer Martin and his defensemen did a good job of not giving up rebounds and second-shot opportunities.
The Gulls were similarly stingy, and the result was another tight game with plenty of physical play — and two fights — but limited scoring chances.
One positive: the Gulls killed off all four of Colorado’s power-play chances. In Friday’s 1-0 loss, the Gulls killed off Colorado’s lone power-play opportunity.
The Gulls have been shut out only four times this season.
The Gulls face open a three-game road trip with a game against first-place Bakersfield Wednesday night. Bakersfield recently put together a 17-game winning streak.
Carter is a freelance writer.
