The San Diego Gulls are back at it tonight, squaring off once again with the Tucson Roadrunners in the second leg of a back-to-back set at Tucson Convention Center (5:30 p.m. PST, streaming on AHLTV via FloHockey, radio on Gulls Audio Network). It’s a crucial stretch for San Diego as they push through the second half of the season with playoff positioning on the line.
The Gulls come into this one sitting sixth in the Pacific Division with a 17-12-6-2 record and 42 points. That might not jump off the page, but dig a little deeper and you’ll find a team that’s quietly built a defensive identity.
At the halfway mark of the season, they were allowing just 2.78 goals per game - the lowest average in the franchise’s 10-year history. That’s no small feat in a division loaded with offensive firepower.
Head coach Matt McIlvane knows how important puck management will be in tonight’s rematch.
“We know their game plan,” McIlvane said. “In a back-to-back, how you play with the puck is everything.
You don’t want to put yourself in situations where you’re chasing the game. That’s going to be a big focus for us.”
That mindset paid off last night, when the Gulls pulled out a gritty overtime win over Tucson - their third straight victory over the Roadrunners this season. San Diego now owns a 3-0-0-0 record against Tucson this year and has historically fared well in the matchup, holding a 39-27-3-3 all-time edge.
The hero of the night? Nikita Nesterenko, who buried the overtime winner - his first goal of the season in the AHL. Nesterenko returned to the Gulls lineup on January 15 and is starting to find his rhythm after three games back.
Before Nesterenko’s winner, it was Justin Bailey who kept the Gulls alive, tying the game late in the third with his 13th goal of the season. The play was set up by some solid work from Tristan Luneau and Sasha Pastujov, who both picked up assists on the tally.
Nathan Gaucher also made his presence felt early, netting his fourth goal of the season to get San Diego on the board. Judd Caulfield chipped in with an assist - his 10th of the year - bringing his season total to 20 points. That puts him just five shy of matching his point total from last season, a sign that his development is tracking in the right direction.
While the Gulls have had some trouble finding consistency in the second game of back-to-backs this season, they’ll be aiming to buck that trend tonight and complete the sweep.
“Same thing - back and forth, track meet kind of game,” Nesterenko said. “These guys are fast.
They’re going to come out flying. It’s tough to get a sweep in this league, so we’ve got to match their energy and push right back.”
After tonight, the Gulls won’t have much time to rest. They’ll continue their four-game road trip with another back-to-back set beginning Saturday, January 24, when they head north to face the Abbotsford Canucks at Rogers Forum (7 p.m. PST).
This stretch is a test - no question - but it’s also an opportunity. If San Diego can keep tightening up defensively and get timely contributions from emerging players like Nesterenko and Gaucher, they’ll be in a solid spot as the playoff race heats up.