Phoenix Hands Gulls 10th Loss in 11 Games

The Gulls played in their second consecutive shootout, and again came up one shot short, losing, 7-6, to Phoenix in front of 6,654 Friday night in an International Hockey League game at Veteran Memorial Coliseum.

Trailing 5-2 in the second, the Gulls went on a scoring binge, getting goals from Ron Duguay, Steve Martinson, Darcy Norton and Byron Lomow in a 10-minute span.

That gave the Gulls a 6-5 lead, which they held for 18:13 of the third period. But with 1:47 remaining, Jeff Rohlicek scored to send the game into overtime.

After a scoreless five-minute overtime, the Gulls and Roadrunners went head-to-head in their second shootout in three days. Phoenix won in a shootout Wednesday in San Diego.

The Gulls (24-29-2), with goals by Larry Floyd and Duguay, took a 2-0 lead after three rounds of the shootout.

Marc Saumier and Micky Volcan scored for the 2-2 tie after five rounds.

Finally, it was Mikael Lindholm, who scored in the seventh round for the 3-2 shootout edge, and the 7-6 final.

It was the Gulls’ seventh straight loss, their fifth by one goal. They have now dropped 10 of their last 11 games.

After a 2-2 first period, Phoenix scored three unanswered goals, two by Sylvain Couturier. It was Couturier’s 15th and 16th goals against the Gulls, and his 36th and 37th IHL goals of the season.

The Roadrunners outshot the visitors, 41-37. Gulls goaltender Alain Chevrier played the first period and first nine minutes of the second and was losing 5-2, before leaving the game with a neck injury.

Mark Reimer replaced Chevrier, and gave up one goal in regulation.

The Gulls have 55 points, six behind Phoenix and six ahead of Milwaukee, a 5-2 loser Friday to Salt Lake.