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Gulls Open 2020 With Loss to Condors

San Diego erases slow start but gives up 3rd period goal

San Diego Gulls

The Gulls opened a season-long 5-game homestand on Friday night at Pechanga Arena. This stretch will take them up to the season's halfway point so standings points now are at a premium.

They'll have to start building those points in game two.

San Diego got off to a bad start against Bakersfield, tied the game, and lost 3-2 on a 3rd period goal from one of the last people you'd expect to score one, and that's even if you include the goalies.

The Condors scored twice in the first 2:22 of the 1st period before the Gulls finally got going. Halfway through the 1st Hunter Drew threw a puck on net from the blue line and Justin Kloos redirected it past Stuart Skinner for a goal to cut the lead in half. Kloos has scored in a career-high four straight games.

In the 2nd period it was nice to see the man with the C again. Captain Sam Carrick, just back from an NHL stint with the Anaheim Ducks, took a nice pass from Antoine Morand and buried it over Skinner's shoulder for his 11th goal of the year and a 2-2 tie.

But in the 3rd period the Gulls didn't clear Jake Kulevich from in front of the net and he put a rebound past Kevin Boyle for the game-winner. It was just the 3rd goal of Kulevich's career and it came in his 92nd career game.

The Gulls get another shot at the Condors on Saturday night. The Puck drops at 7:00 p.m. at Pechanga Arena.

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