The San Diego Gulls battled hard but fell short in a 5-4 shootout loss to the Bakersfield Condors on Saturday night at Pechanga Arena. The Condors struck first with a goal from Drake Caggiula in the opening period, but the Gulls responded in the second, as Yegor Sidorov and Nikita Nesterenko each found the back of the net to take a brief lead. Bakersfield answered back late in the period to tie the game heading into the third. The teams traded goals in a fast-paced final frame, with Justin Bailey converting on the power play and Sidorov netting his second of the night to force overtime. Despite a hard-fought extra session, the game remained deadlocked, leading to a shootout where Bakersfield secured the win with two goals to San Diego’s one. Nesterenko led the Gulls’ offense with a goal and three assists, while Sidorov’s two-goal performance earned him third-star honors. The Gulls will look to bounce back as they continue their homestand.
@Pittsburgh Penguins
