Gulls Bi-Weekly Report 11

By Thomas Harrington

The San Diego Gulls played five games over the past two weeks and had a record of 3-2. The Gulls still have a long way to go to make the Calder Cup Playoffs, but the fact that they have an outside shot shows how well they’ve been playing recently. Unfortunately, the injury bug has hit both Anaheim and San Diego, leaving the Gulls shorthanded. Perhaps most notably, Sasha Pastujov missed all of the past five games, and he had been one of San Diego’s best skaters before the injury.

San Diego started things off in San Jose with a high scoring affair. The Barracuda opened the scoring late in the first period, but Judd Caulfield tied the game early in the second. A minute later, San Jose took the lead again before Yegor Sidorov tied the game. The Barracuda scored again, but Jan Mysak tied the game at 3-3. In the final frame, San Jose took the lead before Mysak scored his second to tie the game and send the game to overtime. In the extra session, Ryan Carpenter scored the gamewinner, and San Diego won 5-4. Goaltender Ville Husso picked up an assist on Carpenter’s goal. 

The Gulls then traveled to Ontario to face the Reign. Ontario opened the scoring late in the first, but Roland McKeown tied the game in the second. The Reign retook the lead but Sidorov tied the game at 2-2. Neither team scored in the third period, and the contest went to overtime. In the extra session, Carpenter scored his second straight overtime gamewinner and San Diego won 3-2. The Gulls then returned home to host Ontario. The Reign scored twice in the first, but Justin Bailey, Caulfield, and Nikita Nesterenko responded in the second to give the Gulls a 3-2 lead. In the third, Ontario tied it, but Mysak put San Diego back on top. Nathan Gaucher scored into the empty net to give the Gulls a 5-3 win.

San Diego then hosted the Colorado Eagles for a pair of games. Carpenter opened the scoring in the first period, but Colorado tied the game before the opening frame was over. Neither team scored in the second, and the Eagles scored twice in the first four minutes of the third to win 3-1. In the next game, neither team scored in the first, and Colorado opened the scoring in the final minute of the second. In the third, the Eagles made it 2-0 on a shorthanded penalty shot, and then scored into the empty net and won 3-0.

The Gulls will play six games over the next two weeks. They’ll start out on the road in San Jose and then travel to Henderson to face the Silver Knights for a pair of games. The Gulls will then return home for three games where they will host San Jose, Tucson, and then Calgary. If San Diego wants to make the playoffs, these six games will be crucial to their chances.

Sam Colangel and Nesterenko are currently in Anaheim, as is Husso. Before being called up to the Ducks, Nesterenko had recorded 11 points over a five-game stretch. Mysak and Sidorov continue to impress, but I don’t think either will make their way to Anaheim before the season ends. However, if they can keep playing like this, they could be in the mix to get called up next year.

San Diego will be getting some reinforcements, as Stian Solberg will be joining them after being recalled from Farjestad BK of the SHL. As college and junior seasons end, the Gulls could have other players joining them as well. If San Diego has any hope of making the postseason, it may partially rest on how well Solberg and other new players perform down the stretch.

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March 18th, 2025