The Gulls, at several points throughout this season, have demonstrated an offensive firepower difficult to conquer. They have scored six goals in a game twice, five goals once, and four goals six times.

On Saturday night, they unleashed it again, scoring three goals in a two-minute, 35-second span in the second period on their way to beating the Milwaukee Admirals 4-1 in front of 8,560 fans at the Valley View Casino Center. It was the second straight home victory for the Gulls, who seem reenergized by the week’s All-Star break.

The win, coupled with the San Jose Barracuda’s loss to the Ontario Reign, pushed the Gulls (21-18-1-1) into third place in the Pacific Division, in the thick of the hunt for a playoff berth, just one day after they were sixth in the seven-team division.

“Our guys have really bought in on really having an attention to detail and knowing that all of these points are so important,” coach Dallas Eakins said after the game. “We don’t want to be scrambling for points the last two weeks of the season; we want to get ’em now and try to solidify things. I think this is going to be a grind right to the finish.”


After a scoreless first period featuring 21 shots, the Gulls took a commanding lead with a commanding stretch early in the second period.

With 16:12 left in the period, left wing Kyle Bonis let rip a quick wrist shot from a difficult angle. It screamed past Milwaukee goalie Jusse Saros as Bonis rounded the net in celebration.

“Kyle’s been a pleasant surprise,” Eakins said of Bonis, who was playing his 25th game of a 25-game professional tryout.

Then, 65 seconds later, center Chris Mueller, in a crush in front of the net, somehow pushed the puck past Saros to give the Gulls a two-goal lead. A short replay review confirmed the goal, and sent the fans into another loud celebration.


Center Kyle MacKinnon added a goal 80 seconds later. Three goals in less than three minutes, and the Gulls had broke the game open. After every goal, a particularly enthusiastic fan, beer in hand, hopped out of his seat to high-five the Gulls’ radio broadcaster.

The Gulls, who conceded a goal later in the period, are now 19-5-0-1 when they score three or more goals. They are 2-13-1-0 when they score fewer than three.

A win over a Central Division team, which could cross over and take a playoff spot from the Pacific Division, based on points percentage, was particularly important.

“You’re getting sniped at from two different spots,” Eakins said. “You’re looking at your own division and then you’re looking at the other one, ’cause they might steal your spot. All of this gets looked after if you just win.”


The third period was scoreless until the final two minutes, when Bonis gathered a loose puck and skated it into an empty net. He pumped his right fist in celebration and hugged his teammates.