Berg and Hellyer power Seals to record-setting win
It was a record-setting afternoon at Pechanga Arena that saw the San Diego Seals scored a franchise-record 20 goals while cruising to a 20-11 win over the Las Vegas Desert Dogs before an enthusiastic crowd on Native American Heritage Day.
The Seals did it behind a pair of six-goal scoring efforts from forward and season goal-scoring leader Rob Hellyer and team captain Wes Berg.
The Seals came roaring out of the gates, staking out to an early 4-0 lead just 3:53 into the contest. Ben McIntosh cracked the lid with a goal just 48 seconds in and Rob Hellyer followed suit with another just 1:51 later. Seals defenseman Cam Holding joined the party 45 seconds after that, scooping up a loose ball and taking it the length-of-the-field and beating Vegas goalie Justin Geddie to give the seals a 3-0 lead. Hellyer, the Seals’ leading scorer on the season, took it from there scoring the next three for the home side. Seals captain Wes Berg assisted on the last two, including a crafty backhanded pass to Hellyer on the power-play with 3:59 left in the first. Jake Govett capped the first quarter scoring for the Seals on a ball that trickled into the net off a nice feed from Zach Currier.
Hellyer and Burd picked up right where they left off just 3:25 into the second as they combined for Hellyer’s fifth goal of the game to put the Seals up 8-1. After a Las Vegas goal, Berg and rookie Trent DiCicco scored their first of the afternoon 13 seconds apart to put San Diego ahead 10-2. Just 1:59 later it was more Hellyer as the Seals forward scored his sixth of the afternoon for the “Sock Trick” that put the Seals on top 11-3.
With 4:47 left in the second, Currier did just as Holding did earlier in the game, securing a loose ball and taking it the length of the field for a breakaway goal and a 12-3 lead. The Desert Dogs would score twice more while Berg’s second of the quarter, a quick-hitter off a pass from Ryan Benesch, put the Seals up 13-5 at the break.
The third quarter got off to a rousing start with fists flying as Currier mixed it up with Las Vegas’ Jackson Webster and DiCicco traded hands with Casey Jackson as part of a quarter that featured a combined 12 penalties & 38 penalty minutes. It also featured more scoring with San Diego outscoring Las Vegas 5-2 to stake ahead 18-7. DiCicco started the scoring for the home side with his second of the day, McIntosh likewise scored his second with assists to Berg & Hellyer. Govett scored his second and third 2:38 seconds apart, the first off a rebound and the second off a behind-the-net pass from Hellyer. And Berg capped the scoring with a highlight-reel behind-the-head shot set up by Hellyer to put the Seals up 18-7.
The scoring pace slowed down in the fourth, but Berg tied and set the single-game team marks with goals at 12:22 and 6:14 on the power play.
The Seals’ previous team record for goals in a game was 19, set against Rochester on March 7, 2020.
With the win, the Seals improve to 7-6 on the season while Las Vegas falls to 3-11.
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