Gulls Ready for Reign in Preseason Action
Oct 5, 2024By Nick Aguilera/SanDiegoGulls.com
The San Diego Gulls return to Pechanga Arena San Diego for the first time since April in a preseason tuneup against the Ontario Reign at 6 p.m. (Audio: Gulls Radio Network).
It’s been a long four months without hockey, but after a lengthy stay in Irvine for Anaheim Ducks training camp, both Gulls players and coaches are happy to be back in front of America’s Finest Fans.
"Can't wait," head coach Matt McIlvane said. "It’ll be really exciting for guys to be able to see our fans for the first time and be able to play in front of them. It’s a wonderful place to play."
Most of San Diego’s regulars should see the ice Saturday evening, including second-year forward Judd Caulfield. Caulfield posted 10-16=26 points in 61 games last season and is looking to make even more strides in his sophomore campaign.
"I want continue to develop with my game from last year," Caulfield said. "My first season pro, I was just trying to figure out the the depth of the pace of play and things like that, so I think definitely just working on finishing some of those plays, maintaining physical play out on the ice and finishing checks, things like that."
San Diego fans should get their first look at Russian-born goaltender Vyacheslav Buteyets in net. A sixth-round draft pick in 2022 by the Anaheim Ducks, Buteyets should see plenty of action in the first month of the season after an injury to Ducks starting goalie John Gibson will force one of Oscar Dansk or Calle Clang to stick with the big league club for the foreseeable future.
Tonight’s game will be the team’s lone tuneup before the regular season, which begins in Toronto for a back-to-back with the Marlies starting Oct. 12 (4 p.m. PT).