Gulls Skid Continues After 5-2 Loss To Abbotsford

Oct 27, 2023

By Nick Aguilera/SanDiegoGulls.com 

The San Diego Gulls couldn’t right the ship on Friday and dropped their third game in a row, losing 5-2 against the Abbotsford Canucks. 

"I really liked that game a lot through two periods," head coach Matt McIlvane said. "I thought we struggled to get out early in the third. It tilted the momentum of the game that kind of played into their favor, then they shot that deflection that gave them the lead. Then at the end of a power play where we couldn’t get much going, they get in behind us and that separates the game. You know, it’s disappointing. We’re in a mode of adversity and we’ll learn, and we’ll grow."

Abbotsford got on the board first with a power-play goal from Christian Wolanin at 3:49 in the first, his first of the season. The ice was tilted towards the Canucks out of the gate, as they registered seven shots and held San Diego to just one 10 minutes in. 

The Gulls broke out of their first-period slump with a game-tying goal from Glenn Gawdin, his second of the year. Nick Wolff tallied an assist, his first point as a Gull.  

Pavol Regenda scored his team-leading fifth goal of the campaign to put San Diego on top with three minutes left to play in the first. Regenda also had an assist on the night for his second multi-point effort of the season (1-1=2).  

"We need to start winning games," Regenda said. "That’s more important than goals. I’m happy to just help the team but wins are more important."

Abbotsford scored yet again on the power play to open the second, with Cole McWard leveling things up at two. The Gulls tightened up on the penalty kill from then on, going 4-for-4 to end the night 4-for-6 when down a man. 

"I think the first thing is just stay out of the box," forward Judd Caulfield said. "If you don’t give them those opportunities, they’re not going to score those power-play goals. But I thought later in the game, we were doing a better job just getting in their shot lanes, so they weren’t able to sneak those pucks in from the top. I thought the PK got better as the game went on."

The third started in a similar fashion, as Arshdeep Bains put the Canucks on top with a tip-in goal. Quinn Schmiemann hopped out of the penalty box and netted another Abbotsford goal a few minutes later to stretch the lead to two. An empty net goal sealed San Diego’s fate in the dying seconds. 

Ben King earned his first career AHL assist in the contest. He now has 1-1=2 points in his first four professional games. 

Alex Stalock made 22 saves in his second loss of the season. 

The Gulls will be on the road again on Sunday, Oct. 29, as they face the Henderson Silver Knights at Dollar Loan Center at 1 p.m. PT.