Myatovic scores twice, the second in overtime, and the Gulls answer Friday's shutout with a 3-2 win in Tucson
Shut out 3-0 on Friday, the San Diego Gulls scored 73 seconds into Saturday's rematch in Tucson and won it in the first minute of overtime. Nico Myatovic bookended the night, Matthew Phillips scored on the power play, and Damian Clara held off Tucson's comeback for a 3-2 win.
TUCSON: One night after being shut out in the same building, the San Diego Gulls scored in the second minute, led twice, lost the lead late, and won anyway. Nico Myatovic scored his second goal of the night in the opening minute of overtime on Saturday, and the Gulls beat the Tucson Roadrunners 3-2 at Tucson Arena to split the two game weekend set.
The win moved San Diego to 3-3-1-0 and snapped Tucson's three game winning streak. The Roadrunners, at 3-2-1-0, never led on Saturday but twice came back to tie, and they earned a point for the fourth consecutive game by forcing overtime.
A goal 73 seconds in
Tucson nearly scored first in the opening minute, when Julian Lutz broke in alone and Gulls goaltender Damian Clara turned him away with his left pad. On the next shift Myatovic scored off the rush, beating Tucson goaltender Jaxson Stauber at 1:13 for San Diego's first lead of the weekend. Tucson tied it late in the first period, when rookie defenseman Tomas Lavoie scored the first goal of his AHL career.
San Diego's second goal came on the power play. Matthew Phillips scored on the power play at 6:34 of the second period to put the Gulls back in front 2-1, the first power play goal Tucson has allowed at home this season. Clara protected that lead through a heavy Tucson push, including a breakaway stop on Ben McCartney, out of the penalty box, 55 seconds into the third period.
Borikov ties it, Myatovic ends it
Tucson got its own power play goal at 8:32 of the third. McCartney fired a slap shot from above the left circle and rookie Yegor Borikov buried the rebound to tie the game 2-2. The assist extended McCartney's point streak to five games. Neither team scored again in regulation.
Overtime lasted less than a minute of drama. Myatovic beat his man wide, dragged the puck past the last defender, and beat Stauber with a backhand shot for the winner, his second goal of the game. Tucson now travels to Henderson for a two game set against the Silver Knights next weekend, while the Gulls head home with a split they had to earn twice.
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