2021-22 Top Moments: Best In-Game Moments
Jun 24, 2022By Paige Burnell/SanDiegoGulls.com
With the 2021-22 season officially in the books, SanDiegoGulls.com looks back at some of the memorable moments and incredible performances from the last seven months. Today, we spotlight the can’t-miss memories, including the return of a popular charity night and coming home to San Diego.
1. Teddy Bear Toss Returns
The Gulls capped off their second annual Season of Giving with the return of the Teddy Bear Toss during the team’s Winter Wonderland Night against the San Jose Barracuda on Dec. 18, 2021.
Benoit-Olivier Groulx began the festivities, scoring the Gulls’ first goal of the game and his first power-play goal of the season with just over two minutes remaining in the second period. San Diego ultimately lost the game 4-1, but the goal stood on its own as a memorable occasion for the both the Gulls players and America’s Finest Fans.
The entire team participated in this beloved American Hockey League tradition, enjoying themselves as they helped pick up all the teddy bears thrown on the ice.
"You know, we have great fans," Gulls forward Buddy Robinson said. "They’re always out here supporting us. There was a lot of bears out there tonight, our arms got a little tired from pushing them around so we appreciate all the support and we just hope they keep coming back."
All of the bears were donated to local organizations, including Ronald McDonald House San Diego and Operation Homefront.
2. Gulls Reveal Franchise’s First Third Jersey
San Diego announced a franchise first in the summer of 2021 – the creation of a new third jersey, set to debut during the regular season. The team showed off its new threads in mid-November and, in a Black Friday matchup with the San Jose Barracuda, debuted the highly-anticipated sweaters at Pechanga Arena. The Gulls’ new sweater exceeded expectations not only with its sharp aesthetic, but also the symbolism present within every stitch.
Hockey legend and pioneer Willie O’Ree dropped the ceremonial puck to commemorate the occasion, helping the team break in the new jerseys that are reminiscent of the sweaters he wore during his time as a Gull.
"Our third jersey preserves the history of the original Gulls franchise and brings forward a new adaptation of who we are as a hockey club, bringing forward a classic design," said Gulls Director of Hockey Operations Jillian Reddin. "Gulls fans can resonate with this iconic nod to San Diego’s hockey history with a uniform and brand that supports the lexicon of our existing primary jersey and uniforms. We’re excited to launch a supplementary jersey and logo with the essence of San Diego’s past for our players to don in the future."
The jersey’s color palette features orange and white accents on an ocean blue base representing San Diego and its Pacific Ocean coastline. The textual “Gulls” logo is an homage to the jerseys worn by the original Gulls team in 1966. The inside of the sweater’s neckline reads “America’s Finest City,” a tribute to San Diego’s iconic nickname, and lists three years that represent pivotal moments in San Diego’s hockey history: 1944, professional hockey debuts in San Diego, 1966, the first version of the San Diego Gulls and 2015, the year the Gulls returned to San Diego with the American Hockey League’s (AHL) Pacific Division expansion.
The jersey debut brought the Gulls some good fortune as the team bested the Barracuda 4-2 for their fourth consecutive win at the time.
The Gulls were 5-2-1-0 when wearing their new sweaters at the conclusion of the 2021-22 season, and there is no doubt they will wear these uniforms, which serve as seamless amalgamations of the current Gulls and the team’s storied culture, for many games to come.
3. Gulls Make Long-Awaited Return To San Diego
After 608 days away from the friendly confines of San Diego, the Gulls returned to Pechanga Arena and America’s Finest Fans.
The COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of the 2019-20 season and pushed the Gulls up to Great Park Ice & FivePoint Arena for a 2020-2021 season played without fans. The news of the team’s return brought immediate interest, and as October 22 drew closer, an undeniable excitement pulsed through the team.
"It feels great, just skating out there," Hunter Drew said following the team's first practice at the arena. "Brings back some memories and brings the excitement and the adrenaline up a little bit."
A sold-out crowd of over 12-thousand fans – the team’s 15th sellout in its AHL history - packed the stands for the Home Opener presented by California Coast Credit Union, enjoying a pregame tailgate and live DJ. The buzz took over shortly before puck drop, with a deafening roar as the team dropped the lights for its pregame introductions. Each Gull had his moment in the sun, welcomed by a sea of coordinated blinking lights and a raucous atmosphere.
Alex Limoges, who finished the season with a multitude of records including the most goals in a season by a rookie, most points in one calendar month (March 2022; 9-7=16 points), most power-play goals in a season and most power-play goals by a rookie in a season, netted the Gulls’ first goal on the man advantage to commemorate his first game at the Pechanga Arena.
The forward admitted he fed off the electricity pulsating from the crowd.
"I tried to go into it with no expectations," Limoges said. "I heard there was going to be a pretty good crowd tonight and $2 Bud Light Night. I’ve heard rumors and they surpassed all of them so it was a lot of fun standing out here, waiting to go out for opening puck drop."
The Gulls concluded their season with an average of 6,992 fans per game, ranking second in the AHL’s Western Conference in average attendance and fourth among all AHL member clubs.
4. Gulls Blank Reign To Record Back-To-Back Shutout Victories
The Gulls used The Force in mid-March, recording consecutive shutouts for the first time in franchise history. Lukas Dostal started the streak, stopping 22 shots in a 3-0 win in Bakersfield on Mar. 11. Just one night later, on the team’s annual Star Wars Night, Olle Eriksson Ek matched Dostal with a 22-save effort for his first career shutout in a 4-0 win over the rival Ontario Reign.
"Obviously, Olle (Eriksson Ek) made some big saves for us there so he bailed us out when we needed (him) to," right wing Bryce Kindopp said following the win. "I think we had good sticks, we kept them to the outside and when they got through, Olle was there for us."
The back-to-back clean sheets kickstarted San Diego’s postseason push. These wins kicked off a six-game point streak for the Guls – tying the record for the fourth-longest unbeaten streak in club history – and vaulted them into playoff positioning in the Pacific Division.
5. Drew Shows His Support On Hockey Fights Cancer Night
The Gulls held their Third Annual Hockey Fights Cancer Night on Apr. 2, 2022 against the Iowa Wild, earning a 5-3 victory for their first win of the season against their Central Division foes.
The pivotal win was defined by a much greater issue, the National Hockey League and the National Hockey League Players’ Association’s Hockey Fights Cancer™ initiative, which brings all corners of the hockey community together in effort to bring awareness and support those battling all forms of cancer.
Drew presented the Santiago Family with custom Hockey Fights Cancer Jerseys in honor of Edith Santiago, a loyal member of the Gulls’ flock who tragically lost her seven-and-a-half-year battle to cancer in September of 2021.
The Santiagos received specialty lavender jerseys with “E. Santiago” embroidered on the back, honoring Edith and preserving her memory. She always attended the annual theme night, and this season marked the first for the family without her by their side. It was an emotional night for Edith’s Family and for all present at the game who came together in support of the Hockey Fights Cancer™ initiative.