The San Diego Gulls came out of the All-Star break looking sharp, knocking off the Bakersfield Condors 3-1 at Dignity Health Arena in a game that showcased solid goaltending, timely scoring, and strong special teams play.
The headline performance belonged to goaltender Tomas Suchanek, who turned away 31 of 32 shots in just his sixth appearance of the season. The 20-year-old netminder held the Condors scoreless until the final two minutes, anchoring the Gulls to his second win of the year. It was a poised, composed outing from a young goalie who looked anything but inexperienced.
Head coach Matt McIlvane praised Suchanek’s approach and execution postgame, noting the benefit of keeping him active through the break with practices and a game under his belt. “These are the kind of performances we expect from him,” McIlvane said.
“He’s done this before.” The team in front of him did its part as well, collapsing effectively in the defensive zone to limit high-danger chances.
Offensively, it was Matthew Phillips who opened the scoring on a first-period power play, giving San Diego an early edge. Phillips continues to be a key offensive driver for the Gulls, now sitting at 32 points on the season (10 goals, 22 assists).
That mark places him second on the team, trailing only Sasha Pastujov - who hit a milestone of his own by picking up the primary assist on Phillips’ goal, notching his 100th career AHL point in the process. Pastujov, just 22 years old, has compiled 37 goals and 63 assists in his AHL career, with 32 points coming this season.
Tim Washe, recently honored as an AHL All-Star, added to the Gulls’ lead in the second period with his 14th goal of the season. The rookie continues to impress, now with 26 points (14 goals, 12 assists) in just 32 games. His scoring touch and physical presence have made him a standout in his first pro season.
The helpers on those goals came from a couple of young Gulls making their own mark. Defenseman Tristan Luneau picked up the secondary assist on Phillips’ goal, giving him 15 points on the year - second among San Diego blueliners. Nico Myatovic added his eighth assist of the season with the lone helper on Washe’s tally, and he’s heating up with four assists in his last five games.
The final goal of the night came in the closing seconds as Bakersfield’s attempt to mount a comeback fell apart. A misplayed pass ended up in the empty net, credited to Nathan Gaucher as the last Gull to touch the puck. It wasn’t flashy, but it sealed the deal.
Special teams were another bright spot for San Diego. The Gulls went 1-for-1 on the power play and killed off all three Condors’ opportunities, continuing a strong trend in that department. Their penalty kill now ranks fourth in the AHL at 84.6%, a testament to their structure and execution when down a man.
Despite the win, McIlvane kept things grounded. “I’m not sitting here thinking that we played a perfect game,” he said.
“There are certainly the elements of seven days off… but I’m really impressed with the way the guys were able to get focused.” With a quick turnaround and the second half of the home-and-home series set for tomorrow night at Pechanga Arena San Diego, the Gulls will look to tighten things up and build on the momentum.
Puck drops at 6 p.m. PST, and if tonight’s performance is any indication, the Gulls are ready to make some noise in the second half of the season.