The San Diego Gulls are making a habit of handling the Tucson Roadrunners, and Tuesday night was no different. With a 5-3 win at the Tucson Convention Center, the Gulls completed the series sweep and stayed perfect against their Pacific Division rival this season.
San Diego came out flying in the first period, putting up three goals and outshooting Tucson 19-9 in a dominant opening frame. Justin Bailey wasted no time getting things started, scoring just 1:43 into the game.
That goal was his 14th of the season - a new personal best, surpassing the 12 he tallied last year. Bailey wasn’t done, either.
He added an assist later in the game, marking his seventh multi-point performance of the season and, more significantly, his 300th career point in the AHL. That’s not just a milestone - it’s a testament to the consistency and impact he brings night in and night out.
It was also a breakthrough night for Cal Burke, who notched his first goal of the season - and first as a Gull - ending a 17-game point drought. The veteran forward, who’s racked up 134 career AHL points, has been grinding to find the scoresheet, and his goal was a well-earned payoff. Just over three minutes later, Jan Mysak added another tally to make it 3-0, capping off a blistering first period for San Diego.
But Tucson didn’t go quietly. The Roadrunners clawed their way back into the game, testing San Diego’s ability to hold a lead.
That’s where Mysak stepped up again. With the score tied in the third, the 21-year-old forward buried his second goal of the night to put the Gulls back on top.
It was his first multi-goal game of the season and his fifth multi-point outing - a strong sign of his growing confidence and offensive presence.
Nikita Nesterenko added insurance midway through the third, scoring his second goal of the season and second point of the night. He’s now riding a two-game goal streak and has picked up three points over his last two contests. With an assist earlier in the game, Nesterenko continues to show flashes of offensive upside that could be key for the Gulls down the stretch.
Head coach Matt McIlvane saw the game as a test of maturity and discipline - and liked the way his group responded. “That’s the way you want to start, as fast as we possibly can,” McIlvane said postgame.
“Then what this game was going to do was to test some discipline and maturity from us. When you're protecting that kind of lead early... we got away from it.
Then the second period, we spent time watching, and we could see how dangerous Tucson is through transition. But then it sets up for a great, challenging third period to see how we're going to respond as a 60-minute game.
We came out and responded the right way.”
In net, Calle Clang continued his strong run, picking up his third straight win. The young goaltender turned away 27 of 30 shots, and his season numbers - a 2.23 goals-against average and .912 save percentage - reflect the kind of steady presence he’s becoming for this team.
Sasha Pastujov chipped in with an assist, pushing his team-leading point total to 29 (9 goals, 20 assists). He’s now collected five points in his last five games, continuing to be a consistent offensive driver.
Assists also came from up and down the lineup, with Noah Warren, Yegor Sidorov, Matthew Phillips, Ryan Carpenter, Nikolas Brouillard, and Roland McKeown all getting on the scoresheet. That kind of depth production is exactly what playoff teams are built on.
Now riding a wave of momentum, the Gulls shift their focus to the weekend, where they’ll face the Abbotsford Canucks in another back-to-back series - this time on the road at Rogers Forum.
“It’s important to have a good recovery tomorrow, the next day, and then be ready for the game,” Mysak said. “It’s going to be a tough one too, so we’re going to be ready.”
With the team firing on all cylinders and key players heating up, San Diego is looking like a group that’s not just winning games - they’re building something.