PREVIEW: Gulls Host Coachella Valley After AHL All-Star Classic
Feb 10, 2023By AJ Manderichio/SanDiegoGulls.com
The San Diego Gulls return from the American Hockey League All-Star Classic tonight, hosting the Coachella Valley Firebirds at Pechanga Arena San Diego for the team’s seventh annual Pink in the Rink (7 p.m. PT; TV: AHL TV; RADIO: Gulls Audio Network). The San Diego Gulls Foundation has partnered with Susan G. Komen, San Diego to promote women’s health initiatives, cancer research and awareness.
The night will commence with a ceremonial puck drop by Kyle Moss, a representative from Susan G. Komen, with the team wearing specialty pink jerseys throughout Friday’s contest. The game will also feature pink-themed graphics during in-game entertainment, while Gulliver and the Gulls Girls will also don pink attire. The Foundation will host an auction featuring autographed player-worn Pink in the Rink jerseys and select special edition pucks signed by your favorite Gulls players, which fans can participate in by visiting sandiegogulls.com/auction. Bidding will close at 9 p.m. PT tonight.
San Diego is looking forward to a reset following a tough road to the season’s annual skills showcase. The team is currently riding a five-game losing streak, which included back-to-back losses to the Firebirds on Feb. 3 and 4. The Gulls dropped the first game in heartbreaking fashion, allowing the game-winning tally with under two minutes left in regulation to lose 2-1 on Feb. 3. They failed to slow Coachella Valley the next night, as the Firebirds scored three times in the first period en route to a 4-0 win on Feb. 4.
"The first game we played really well," Gulls assistant coach Jason Clarke said. "I thought we really kind of accelerated our strengths as a group and was unfortunate that we came on the on the losing side of that game. It's just our depth. Sometimes, you know, guys are playing a little bit too much. And I think in the first period on the first game, some top guys had to play a little bit more than what they probably should have played. But we were really trying to press them and try and win that game. We came back the second night and I just thought we looked a little bit tired, especially the first 10 minutes. But once we kind of got our feet underneath us after, unfortunately, giving up those three quick goals, but once we got our feet on this, we were much better."
To replicate the performance from the Feb. 3 game, San Diego will need to match the physicality and timely special teams. In that performance, Hunter Drew scored a power-play goal, the team’s penalty kill stayed strong and Lukas Dostal posted a strong effort in net.
"I think we did a really good job of manage the puck at both blue lines," Clarke said of that game. "I mean, we were quick to get second quick guys in there and have good support on our breakouts. I mean, they’re a really well-coached hockey team and got a lot of structure and, you know, prior games we played, we turned a lot of pucks over at the defensive blueline and the offensive blueline; that just didn't happen against them. Then, our power play had a power-play goal and, you know, we went 5-for-5 on the PK. The whole game specialty team does really well, and then our 5-on-5 play was really well. It was one of those games where we kind of got all three things going the same time and was just unfortunate, unfortunate bounce for us on that second goal."
Highlighting the team’s return is Dostal, who claimed co-Most Valuable Player honors at the league’s All-Star Classic. The Brno, Czechia native is the first player in the team’s AHL history to earn the award, sharing the honor with fellow Pacific Division netminder Dustin Wolf. The duo helped the Pacific Division All-Stars take home the Mise-o-jeu AHL All-Star Challenge crown, pitching a combined 1-0 shutout in the championship round. Dostal recorded two assists during the night, tying Christopher Gibson (2018, Atlantic) for the most helpers in an All-Star Challenge/Game (since 1995).
He enters tonight looking to guide the Gulls to their first win over the Firebirds, the newest AHL franchise. The AHL affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Seattle Kraken is off to a strong start in their first season, entering the game tied atop the league standings with the Calgary Wranglers. They lead the league in percentage points and are 8-1-0-1 in their last 10 games.
Leading the charge for Coachella Valley are Jesper Froden and Max McCormick. Froden leads the team with 23 goals, McCormick is tied for the team lead with 25 assists and both pace the team’s skaters with 45 points. Froden leads Coachella Valley with 6-2=8 points against San Diego through five games this season, including a three-point effort on Feb. 4 (1-2=3) and his first AHL career hat trick on Dec. 16.
San Diego hopes the time away is just what the team needs to get back on track.
"Just getting away from the X's and O's and the everyday grind, I think was really good for everybody," Clarke said. "I mean, it was a fresh start for us coming back and that's what we talked together about as a group, you know, before we got out on the ice and during when we were on the ice. So, it was four days well needed, I think, for everybody, and hopefully we can have a great effort tomorrow night."