Gulls Down Rockford For Third Straight Victory

Dec 9, 2023

By Nick Aguilera/SanDiegoGulls.com 

There’s something about the San Diego Gulls and Czech goaltenders. 

Behind another dominant start from Tomas Suchanek, the Gulls won their third straight game, a 5-1 win over the Rockford IceHogs at BMO Center on Saturday night. 

The Gulls went 4-1-0-0 on their five-game road trip and are now 5-1-1-0 in their last seven games. 

Suchanek stopped 21-of-22 shots for his third consecutive win and fourth in five AHL starts. His 118:55 shutout sequence spanning three games is the longest by a Gulls rookie goaltender, surpassing Lukas Dostal (113:21, Feb. 25-Mar. 2, 2022). He didn’t allow his first goal until 13:57 in the third period. 

"The confidence in there," goaltending coach Jeff Glass said. "He’s definitely seeing the puck right now. Tomas has put a lot of work in and he works hard at being in position and getting to the right spot. He was very focused and it's fun to see a goalie play that well, and he's clearly seeing it right now."

The first frame was tightly contested and neither team could find nylon for the first 20 minutes. Both Suchanek and Jaxson Stauber were terrific, stopping a combined 23 shots to start the contest. 

Glenn Gawdin finally broke the seal with his third goal of the road trip at 6:32 in the second, extending his point streak to four games (3-2=5). Ben King earned the lone assist, pushing his point streak to three games (2-2=4). 

Stauber then misplayed a puck and put it right on Brayden Tracey’s tape and he scored from long range to double the lead. It was Tracey’s second goal in as many games. 

Chase De Leo capped the three-goal second period with his third goal of the season. San Diego had Rockford’s offense in handcuffs all period, as they limited the IceHogs to just four shots in the middle frame. 

"I think it was a pretty even game through 20 minutes, but we came out in the second with a different attitude, leaned on them a little bit and kind of tilted the ice in our favor," Glass said. "I think when we're skating like that, things like that can happen and I'm happy for it." 

Tyson Hinds got his first goal of his professional career to continue the scoring in the final frame. Hinds is the fifth Gulls skater to net their first career AHL goal this year. 

"I mean, still can't believe it," Hinds said. "It was not the prettiest goal, but I'm glad. The boys did the good work for me in front of the net and everything. Shoveled it into the net."

Former Gull Logan Nijhoff ended Suchanek’s shutout bid with a little over six minutes left on the third, but it was the only goal the IceHogs would get on the weekend. 

Judd Caulfield put the nail in the coffin with a shorthanded empty net goal with less than four minutes to play. 

"I think it was part of the mindset going into it was if we can get a win, this week is a lot more fun and a lot more pleasurable and productive as well," Glass said. "So, the win was huge and I'm glad we were able to close it up tonight."

Nathan Gaucher, Jacob Perreault and Olen Zellweger all picked up assists in the contest. 

The San Diego Gulls return to Pechanga Arena San Diego for their annual Winter Wonderland game on Saturday, Dec. 16 against the Henderson Silver Knights (6 p.m. PST; TV: KUSI-SD, AHLTV; RADIO: Gulls Audio Network).