Gulls Ready for Round Two Against Iowa
Jan 15, 2025By Samantha Mason/SanDiegoGulls.com
The San Diego Gulls are gearing up to take on the Iowa Wild tonight at Pechanga Arena (7:00 pm PST; TV: AHLTV on FloHockey; Radio: Gulls Audio Network).
In their last meeting, San Diego kicked off the first of a four-game season set against the Wild with a 5-1 win.
Over the weekend, the Gulls battled it out with the Tucson Roadrunners in back-to-back contests. After one victory and one defeat, the Gulls want to clinch a winning homestand against Iowa.
"They're a good team," said Dillon Heatherington. "I mean, they come out and they're very opportunistic. They get their chances. So, we got to become come out prepared tomorrow."
As the team comes up on the halfway point of the 2024-25 American Hockey League season this weekend, they have been reflecting on what it means to play to an identity. Furthermore, the team’s goal this year has been to make Pechanga Arena an intimidating arena to compete in for their opponents.
"That's how we want to make this place a miserable place to play when you're the opposition," said assistant coach Kris Sparre. "In terms of team identity, like we've talked about numerous times, we've kind of found one that works for us. That takes time. Every team talks about standards and having a team identity. And it just doesn't happen overnight, especially with new faces and new bodies from year to year. I think guys are starting to understand and see the value in playing that way…these are all good things for us, and now it's starting to pay off, and guys are starting to see the progress."
San Diego plays the final contest of their five-game homestand this Saturday, challenging the Calgary Wranglers for Lunar New Year Night (6 pm PST). After that, they’re heading north for back-to-back contests against the Wranglers next weekend.