As the San Diego Gulls gear up for a back-to-back showdown with the Abbotsford Canucks at Rogers Forum tonight, there's plenty on the line. With a 3-3 record against Abbotsford this season, the Gulls are looking to break their road slump, having lost both away games to the Canucks.
The last time these two faced off in January, San Diego fell short in both encounters. However, the Gulls have managed to shut out Abbotsford three times this season, thanks in large part to goalie Calle Clang, who delivered two of those shutouts, including a memorable 7-0 victory in November.
Abbotsford, sitting at the bottom of the Pacific Division with a 22-36-3-3 record, has been struggling. They've hit a rough patch with a five-game losing streak and are out of playoff contention.
Meanwhile, the Gulls are riding a wave of recent success, winning four of their last five games. With a record of 29-21-8-4 and 70 points, they're holding onto the seventh spot in the division.
In their last outing against the Calgary Wranglers, the Gulls edged out a 5-4 win, with Nathan Gaucher stealing the spotlight. Gaucher notched a hat trick, the 13th in the Gulls' AHL history, bringing his season total to 12 goals. This performance earned him a call-up to the Anaheim Ducks, marking his NHL debut.
Ryan Carpenter added to his impressive season tally with his 16th goal, while Cal Burke found the back of the net for the third time this season, scoring his first powerplay goal. Clang was solid in goal, securing his 15th win with 19 saves.
Head coach Matt McIlvane praised the team's effort, particularly their play in the offensive zone. "I think there's plenty from this game to keep and build on," he noted.
"We hunted pucks well and played most of the game above them. We're continuing to build our game to put an exclamation point on the season."
With just nine games left in the regular season, the Gulls are looking to maintain their momentum. After tonight's clash, they'll face Abbotsford again before heading home to take on the Tucson Roadrunners on April 1 at Pechanga Arena. It's crunch time for San Diego, and every game counts as they push toward the playoffs.