San Diego Gulls beat Colorado Eagles 3-2 in shootout after late Eagles equalizer

The San Diego Gulls beat the Colorado Eagles 3-2 in a shootout Sunday at Pechanga Arena San Diego after Colorado scored twice late in the third period to erase a two-goal deficit. San Diego had kept the Eagles off the board through two periods, but regulation ended tied.

After a scoreless first period, Matthew Phillips put San Diego ahead at 5:56 of the second. Colorado got a power play when Nathan Gaucher was called for interference, but the Eagles did not score. Lucas Pettersson followed with a goal at 13:34 of the second period, sending the Gulls into the third with a 2-0 lead.

That lead held until the final minutes of regulation. Ryan Carpenter’s slashing penalty put Colorado on the power play, and Jayson Megna scored at 16:35 of the third to cut the deficit to 2-1. Tristen Nielsen tied it at 2-2 at 18:51, with Megna assisting on the goal. The Eagles had answered both San Diego goals without taking the lead.

Neither team scored in overtime. San Diego then converted twice in the shootout to Colorado’s once, settling a game the Eagles had extended with their late goals but never led. The Eagles play at the Coachella Valley Firebirds on Wednesday, Nov. 4.