The Gulls have been an outstanding road team throughout the AHL playoffs, having won five of seven games away from Pechanga Arena San Diego.
If they are going to keep their Calder Cup dreams alive, they’ll need some of that away magic to work in Chicago on Monday night in Game 6.
A 5-2 loss to the Chicago Wolves on Saturday night at Pechanga leaves the Gulls trailing the best-of-seven Western Conference finals series 3-2 and needing a pair of wins in the Windy City to advance.
If necessary, Game 7 would be Wednesday night at Chicago’s Allstate Arena.
The Gulls were outshot 27-21 but the game turned on a crucial mistake by rookie defenseman Isac Lundestrom, who shot the puck into his own net from center ice after the Gulls pulled goalie Kevin Boyle on a delayed penalty at 10:49 of the third period.
The Gulls suddenly trailed 4-2, were unable to cash in on the ensuing power play and spent the remainder of the game desperately trying to beat Chicago goalie Max Legace, who was credited with the goal on Lundestrom’s miscue. Lundestrom’s went between Simon Benoit and Sam Carrick.
“It was a fluky thing,” said Gulls coach Dallas Eakins. “He made the right play. We want to hold that puck as long as we can. It was the right play, but it just was one of those things. It was a fluke, not even a mistake. I could go 10 years coaching and not see that happen again.”
Things went much better for the Gulls early on as they tried to shake off a 2-1 loss in double overtime on Friday night.
Forward Adam Cracknell got the home crowd charged up and gave the Gulls a 1-0 lead with a rebound off a Simon Benoit shot at 4:57 of the first period. It was Cracknell’s seventh goal of the postseason.
Gulls lose 5-2; head to Chicago
Chicago tied it up 1-1 at 11:24 of the first on a bit of terrible luck for the Gulls and defenseman Josh Mahura.
Chicago’s Zach Whitecloud ripped a hard shot from the slot that bounced directly off Mahura’s face and landed directly in the path of Tomas Hyka, who smashed a shot past Boyle.
Mahura skated off to the dressing room in obvious pain but returned for the second period wearing a face mask and played the remainder of the game.
The Wolves took a 2-1 lead at 13:59 of the first on a more conventional goal as Cody Glass gathered a rebound and beat Boyle for his second goal of the series.
The Wolves made a handful of lineup changes for Game 5 but none more interesting than starting Lagace over Oscar Dansk in net.
Lagace, who had yet to start a game in the series, gave up the early rebound to Cracknell but then was sharp as he made 13 saves through two periods before Jacob Larsson beat him with a hard shot from the wing at 3:57 of the third.
Larsson’s second playoff goal got the Pechanga crowd roaring, but that enthusiasm was snuffed out quickly as Daniel Carr scored on a rebound at 5:24 to push Chicago back ahead 3-2.
After Lundestrom’s own goal, Chicago added an empty-netter off the stick of Ty McGinn at 2:09 of the third to for the final score.
Cracknell said afterward that the Gulls have to play better in Chicago.
“We know we haven’t played our best game,” Cracknell said. “We have to refocus, get our minds right. We have to go to their (arena) but yeah, we won a game there. We know what we have to do.”
Carter is a freelance writer.
