The San Diego Gulls are back from the All-Star break and ready to hit the ice tonight at Dignity Health Arena, kicking off a home-and-home series against the Bakersfield Condors. Puck drops at 7 p.m. PST, and fans can catch the action on AHLTV via FloHockey or tune in on the Gulls Audio Network.
Two Gulls players made their mark during the AHL All-Star Classic this past week: forward Tim Washe and goaltender Calle Clang. Both suited up for the Pacific Division squad, which captured its third All-Star Challenge title in the last four years.
Clang, in particular, turned heads during the Skills Competition, earning CCM Top Goaltender honors after stopping 16 of 18 shots. That kind of performance isn’t just a feather in his cap-it’s a sign of the confidence he’s bringing into the stretch run.
And make no mistake, the stretch run is here.
With 28 games left in the regular season, the Gulls sit sixth in the Pacific Division at 21-14-6-3, good for 51 points. Every point matters now, especially with the playoff race tightening. The team knows it, too.
“I think we've kind of broken this season up into thirds, and now we're kind of closer into that home stretch,” said forward Matthew Phillips. “But we’re really excited, and we think our game's trending in the right way, so everyone’s going to be ready to get back at it.”
They’ll be tested right away. Bakersfield rolls into town holding third place in the division with a 29-10-2-3 record and 63 points. While the Condors are coming off back-to-back losses to the division-leading Ontario Reign, they’ve been one of the most consistent teams in the West this season.
That said, the Gulls have had Bakersfield’s number so far. San Diego is 2-0-0-0 against the Condors this season, including a 5-2 win in their last meeting on Dec. 27 at Dignity Health Arena. With another two-game set on tap-tonight and tomorrow-the Gulls have a chance to make a real statement.
Before the break, San Diego was riding a wave of momentum, stringing together three straight wins. Their final outing was a 7-4 offensive explosion against the Henderson Silver Knights on Feb.
- In those three games, the Gulls lit the lamp 15 times, showing off the kind of scoring depth that makes them dangerous down the stretch.
Judd Caulfield led the charge with five points (2 goals, 3 assists) during that run. Yegor Sidorov and Nathan Gaucher weren’t far behind, each tallying four points.
Sidorov notched three goals and an assist, while Gaucher flipped the script with three helpers and a goal. Justin Bailey and Matthew Phillips also chipped in with three points apiece.
Bailey pointed to the team’s depth and defensive commitment as key ingredients in their recent success.
“Our team is so deep, we really have an emphasis on defending,” Bailey said. “You look at us, we've played a lot of tight games. I think that's one thing for us going forward-we didn’t want to give up those quick ones at the end of the second-but like you've seen in the last two, three, four games where they’re tie games in the third, and that's anybody's game.”
He’s not wrong. As the calendar turns and the games get tighter, depth and defensive discipline become playoff currency. And right now, the Gulls are showing signs they’ve got both.
Bailey also gave a nod to the team’s offensive firepower, highlighting players like Sasha Pastujov, Phillips, and the red-hot Sidorov as examples of how any player can step up on any given night.
“We got a lot of guys chipping in, and we have a team where any given night, anybody can go off,” Bailey said. “That's kind of what you’ve been seeing lately.”
That’s exactly the kind of identity you want this time of year-balanced, battle-tested, and built for the grind ahead.
Tonight’s matchup with Bakersfield is more than just another game on the schedule. It’s a measuring stick, a momentum builder, and potentially, a playoff preview.
The Gulls are rested, confident, and ready to make their push. Let’s see if they can keep the engine running.