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AHL San Diego Gulls

Coachella Valley Downs San Diego

January 22, 2023 - American Hockey League (AHL)
San Diego Gulls News Release


The San Diego Gulls fell 4-2 to the Coachella Valley Firebirds at Acrisure Arena, bringing their overall record to 11-29-0-0 and 7-15-0-0 on the road.

Pavol Regenda started the scoring for the Gulls just 1:26 into the first period, posting his ninth goal of the season his second goal in his last three games.

Nikolas Brouillard earned his team-leading 24th assist on the play, ranking tied for third in points (6-24=30) and tied for fifth in assists among American Hockey League defensemen at the conclusion of the game.

Glenn Gawdin scored his 10th goal of the season with less than two minutes remaining in the second frame for 10-5=15 points in 25 games this season. The center also recorded a season-high eight shots tonight to lead all skaters.

The Gulls are perfect on the penalty kill over their last two games (6-for-6) and own an impressive 88.9% kill rate over their last nine contests, stopping 31-of-35 of their opponent's chances on the power play. San Diego finished tonight with a kill rate of 82.5% on the road, ranking second in the AHL's Pacific Division, sixth in the Western Conference and 10th in the league. Overall, the Gulls penalty kill is operating at an 82.1% success rate, ranking third in the Pacific Division, seventh in the Western Conference and tied for 11th in the AHL.

Olle Eriksson Ek made 24 saves on 28 shots in the loss.

The Gulls return home to Pechanga Arena San Diego to face the Bakersfield Condors this Wednesday, Jan. 25 (7 p.m. PST).

POSTGAME QUOTES

SAN DIEGO GULLS

Right Wing Travis Howe

On if the team was focused on bringing physicality into the game

Yeah, I mean, just kind of every night we want to implement that. I feel like that could be a big identity for us and we're just starting to sort that out now, hopefully. Didn't get the result we wanted to, but the physicality was definitely there; the compete was definitely there. Just hopefully we can kind of build off it and bring some wins back home.

On if the team is satisfied with its effort tonight

Yeah, I mean, it's definitely something to build off of because our first 40 minutes - since I've been here - that was the best hockey I've seen out of us. Even the third period, we still competed; we still battled - just couple bounces didn't go our way. I mean, when you've got every line, everybody going tonight - like our goalie was on point tonight - and it was just one of those ones where they're just a really good team and a couple bounces went their way, but hopefully next time, we'll get it back for him (goaltender Olle Eriksson Ek).

On what the Gulls did to shut down the Coachella Valley offense in the first two periods of the game

Again, like you said, I think the physicality the compete, just getting pucks behind their d [defense], punishing them any chance you get, anybody really. I mean, they're a good team for a reason so it was definitely frustrating when we couldn't kind of pull little ahead - little more ahead I should say - but next time, we've got a pretty good game plan going up against them and we should get the job done then, hopefully.

Head Coach Roy Sommer

On the loss to the Coachella Valley Firebirds

Did a lot of good things, played heavy. Had a couple of big-time tilts (and) scraps with (Gulls forward Dmitry) Osipov and (Gulls forward Travis Howe) Howie. Both won; won both our fights. And you know, that was kind of a carryover to last time they were in our building. You know, they thought they were running the show, but not anymore. Then the second period, I thought we again played a pretty good second. You know, we had a turnover, they scored, but then we came right back. You know, (Gulls center Glenn Gawdin) Gawds made a nice play driving the net, make it 2-1 going into the third. You know, I love the way we were playing and then you know, the three goals we gave them every one. You know, they didn't really earn him. We just gave it to him. So that's disappointing, but a lot more positives and negatives, I thought.

On the mood following the two first-period fights

Guys were fired up. You know, I thought, kind of took a little steam out of them. It kind of settled the game down and everyone got to playing hockey after that, but you can kind of sense a little bit of intensity out there.

On if a physical game is key to finding success against Coachella Valley

You know what, they're good. Hey, they're one of the top teams in the league right now. And that's kind of a gauge and how you're playing, and I thought we played pretty good. I mean, we held in there with them, and we gave up 28 shots. You know, it wasn't like they had 50-60 shots on us. That wasn't the case. Defensively, I thought we did a lot of good things. You know, we killed plays, didn't give him a whole lot. Power play is struggling a little bit. You know, that's something that's got to get going for us. I mean, that's how we're going to have to get some goals because 5-on-5, we're not getting a lot, but I think we get the PP going, I think we'll be in pretty good shape for the three games we got coming up this week.

On the team's first period

I thought through the neutral zone we did a good job. We slowed him down. We killed plays when they came in. We didn't allow, you know, things to continue, the play to continue. Near the end, you know, we kind of took the wind out of their sails, I think, you know, the fights. I think they were kind of sitting back and kind of going like whoa, you know, you could say that physicality isn't part of the game, but it is, and I think it took them a while to get their legs underneath them.

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