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Gulls unable to recover from miscues, lose 4-2 at Stockton

The San Diego Gulls allowed power-play and shorthanded goals in the first period and an empty-net goal in the third in a 4-2 loss to the Stockton Heat Friday night at Stockton.
Gulls unable to recover from miscues, lose 4-2 at Stockton

SAN DIEGO (CNS) - The San Diego Gulls allowed power-play and shorthanded goals in the first period and an empty-net goal in the third in a 4-2 loss to the Stockton Heat Friday night at Stockton.

Kalle Kossila scored power-play goals in the second and third periods for the Gulls (2-2-0-0) in front of a crowd announced at 2,152 at Stockton Arena.

"It got better, but still, it's tough if you have a bad start on the road," Kossila said. "The last two periods were all right, but it's not enough.

Spencer Foo opened the scoring five minutes, 30 seconds into the first period with a power-play goal.

Joseph Cramarossa, who scored 11 goals in 63 games for the Gulls during their first two American Hockey League seasons, scored an unassisted shorthanded goal at 10:02.

Kossila took a pass from Escondido native Austin Ortega and put a shot from the left faceoff circle past Stockton goaltender Jon Gillies at 12:43 of the second period for his first goal of the season.

The Heat, the Calgary Flames AHL affiliate, regained a two-goal lead on Mark Jankowski's power-play goal at 18:44 of the second period when the Gulls had three skaters because of penalties to Steve Oleksy and defenseman Andy Welinski and Stockton four because of Emile Poirier's coincidental roughing penalty to Oleksy.

The Gulls, the Anaheim Ducks AHL affiliate, again cut the deficit to one on Kossila's power-play goal 1:17 into the third period.

Gulls coach Dallas Eakins pulled goaltender Leland Irving in favor of an extra attacker, but Morgan Klimchuk thwarted their comeback hopes with a power-play empty-net goal with five seconds left off assists by Rasmus Andersson and Foo.

The goal came 1:06 after Ortega's tripping penalty.

Irving replaced Kevin Boyle at the start of the third period and stopped all 14 shots he faced in his debut for the Gulls. Irving was acquired Oct. 9 from the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, the Philadelphia Flyers AHL affiliate, in exchange for future considerations.

Boyle stopped 16 of 19 shots over the first two periods. He has started each of the Gulls four games this season.

Gillies stopped 29 of 31 shots, improving to 2-1-0-0.

The Gulls scored on two of eight power-play opportunities, including going scoreless on a four-minute power-play in the first period after Stockton center Rod Pelley received a double-minor for high sticking.

The Heat (3-2-0-0) scored on three of seven power plays.

Welinski has at least one point in all four games this season.

The two teams will play again Saturday at Stockton Arena and Wednesday at Valley View Casino Center.

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