The San Diego Gulls finally broke through against the Coachella Valley Firebirds, snapping a long drought with a 4-3 win - their first victory over the Firebirds since opening night. And if you’re looking for a headliner, look no further than Yegor Sidorov.
The 21-year-old winger put on a show, notching his second three-point performance of the season. He set the tone with an assist early, then took matters into his own hands with a pair of goals - including the game-winner late in the third period that sealed it for San Diego and kept the game from spilling into overtime.
Sidorov now sits at 23 points on the season (12 goals, 11 assists), and he’s heating up at the right time with six points in his last five games. After the game, he spoke candidly about adjusting to the pro game.
“I figured out what in this league you need to shoot more the puck, not to handle,” Sidorov said. “It's a little bit different with juniors, so taken me a little bit, but now I just stand and going to try shoot on and off.”
Translation? He’s learning to let it fly - and it’s paying off.
The Firebirds wasted no time getting on the board, scoring just 28 seconds into the game. But San Diego responded with poise. Rookie defenseman Stian Solberg cashed in on the power play to even things up, showing once again that the Gulls’ special teams can be a real difference-maker when they’re on.
Judd Caulfield also made his presence felt, picking up his 11th goal and 12th assist of the season. That goal ties his total from last year, and he’s now just two points away from setting a new career high in single-season points. Caulfield, who’s been part of a productive line lately, credited the chemistry with his linemates for the recent surge.
“It felt great to get back on the board,” Caulfield said. “It’s been a little while, but it's just been fun playing recently.
We've been generally generating a lot of chances as a line and as a team, and it's fun playing with all the guys like [Nathan] Gaucher, [Yegor] Sidorov and Nico [Myatovic]. They work so hard and like this, it's good for us to get rewarded with the greasy goal there.”
On the back end, goaltender Tomas Suchanek came up big. The Czech netminder stopped 26 of 29 shots - a season high - and earned his first win of the year, as well as his first AHL victory since April 2024. It was a meaningful moment for Suchanek, who’s been working his way back from injury.
“I hope what he takes away is that he's back,” said head coach Matt McIlvane. “That's what I hope.
I've been through a couple of ACLs myself, and I know how long it takes to feel like yourself. There's the moment where it clicks and you’re back, and I hope he leaves today with that.”
Also contributing to the scoresheet were Roland McKeown and Nathan Gaucher, who each picked up two assists. Justin Bailey and Nico Myatovic added helpers of their own, rounding out a balanced offensive effort for San Diego.
With the win, the Gulls snapped a frustrating skid against Coachella Valley and picked up a much-needed confidence boost. Now, they’ll look to keep the momentum rolling as they return home to Pechanga Arena for a rivalry matchup against the Ontario Reign tomorrow night.
Puck drops at 6 p.m. PST.