The rivalry between the San Diego Gulls and Ontario Reign has always had a little extra juice, and tonight’s showdown at Pechanga Arena San Diego (6 p.m. PST) promises more of the same. It’s the third meeting of the season between these two Pacific Division foes, and with the series split 1-1 so far, bragging rights-and playoff positioning-are both on the line.
Back in early November, the teams traded wins in a back-to-back set, each defending home ice. The Gulls struck first with a 6-4 win, only to see Ontario answer with a 4-3 overtime victory the following night. That kind of back-and-forth is typical of this rivalry-tight games, physical play, and no shortage of intensity.
“We're all excited,” said Gulls forward Judd Caulfield. “We’ve heard about the big crowd coming in, and we know we’ve got great fans down in San Diego, so it’s going to be a great atmosphere.
We're going to go put on a show-play hard, play physical. Ontario’s going to do the same, so it's going to be a battle.
We just have to outwork them, compete, and we’ll find our chances.”
That blue-collar mentality will be crucial if San Diego wants to slow down a red-hot Ontario squad. The Reign come into the night tied for first in the Pacific Division, riding a three-game win streak and boasting a 28-12-1-1 record (58 points). They’ve found their rhythm, especially on the defensive end, and are proving tough to beat.
The Gulls, meanwhile, sit in sixth place with a 19-14-6-3 record (47 points), but they’re coming off a much-needed win that snapped a three-game skid. Last night’s 4-3 victory over the Coachella Valley Firebirds could be just the momentum boost this team needs heading into a rivalry game.
Rookie netminder Tomas Suchanek earned his first win of the season in that one, making key saves down the stretch to preserve the lead. Up front, it was Yegor Sidorov who stole the spotlight with a three-point night-two goals and an assist-including the game-winner late in the third period. Judd Caulfield and Stian Solberg also found the back of the net, rounding out a gritty, team-driven win.
Head coach Matt McIlvane knows tonight’s challenge won’t be easy.
“Ontario has been up at the top of our division now for a while, and we know they're a fantastic team,” McIlvane said. “They’ve got a lot of speed, very, very strong defensively, and it'll be a big challenge-but we’ll bring our game.”
With only one more meeting left between these teams after tonight, this one carries weight. A win for San Diego wouldn’t just tip the season series in their favor-it would also tighten the playoff race and send a message to the rest of the division. For a team looking to climb the standings and build confidence, there’s no better time to make a statement than against your biggest rival, in front of your home crowd.
Drop the puck. Let the battle begin.