Gulls Blank Canucks, 1-0
AHL San Diego Gulls

Gulls Blank Canucks, 1-0

Published on January 17, 2026 under American Hockey League (AHL)
San Diego Gulls News Release


The San Diego Gulls shut out the Abbotsford Canucks 1-0 Friday night at Pechanga Arena. It marks the first time in Gulls AHL history that the team won a regular season game 1-0. It marks the fifth shutout of the season for San Diego, matching the team high for shutouts in a season (also 2016-17). It is also the third time this season the Gulls have shut out the Canucks. San Diego now sits with a 16-11-6-2 record.

Calle Clang recorded his second shutout of the season, stopping all 19 shots. Clang now ranks sixth among qualified AHL goaltenders with a 2.19 GAA and tied for fifth in shutouts. Since December 1, he co-leads in shutouts (2), ranks third in GAA (1.77) and SV% (.929) and is tied for fourth in wins among all AHL goaltenders (min. three appearances).

Sasha Pastujov scored his ninth goal of the season, giving him points in back-to-back games (1-2=3). Pastujov now leads San Diego skaters with 9-18' points on the season.

Jan Mysak earned his 11th assist of the season.

The Gulls will face the Coachella Valley Firebirds on home ice tomorrow night for the club's first ever Native American Heritage Night brought to you by Viejas Casino & Resort (6 p.m. PST).

POSTGAME QUOTES

SAN DIEGO GULLS

Left wing Sasha Pastujov

On what was different in tonight's game compared to Wednesday

I think we just showed a different level of maturity and just a quick ability to take Wednesday and learn from it. It wasn't acceptable, and we held it down today and couldn't do it without [Calle Clang]. He was incredible. It's hard to lose when the other team hasn't scored.

On his line with Matthew Phillips and Jan Mysak

[Matthew] Phillips makes it so easy to play with him. He's so skilled, so cerebral. He's just always thinking the right way and making great plays and we've had a little chemistry, you know? We stay out after practice and work together from training camp. We've had good chemistry, so it's good fun to play with them. Like you said, Jan, he's my guy. We've had really good chemistry on and off the ice, and again, really easy to play with. He's so, so good in all three zones and I'm just super, super grateful to play with two really good players.

On this being the first 1-0 regular season victory in Gulls AHL history

Oh, that's pretty cool. I mean, it's probably not the game the fans were dreaming of coming to tonight, but on our end, 1-0, that's a perfect game. We held them to zero, and we got on the board, and we're walking away with two points. So, Coachella is coming in, and we owe them a couple games. We'll do our best to continue this tomorrow, but I think plenty of positives, and I'm sure Matt will have them ready to show us tomorrow morning, and we'll learn and grow and be ready for tomorrow night.

On playing Coachella Valley tomorrow night

We just got to replicate today's game. I think hydration, sleep, all the cliches, but they're so important for three games in four nights. They have two days' rest, but we just got to worry about us and play our game, and I think the rest will take care of itself.

Goaltender Calle Clang

On bouncing back from Wednesday night

I think tonight, we talked about just keep playing our style of hockey. And the way we played the first 40 minutes was incredible. We just talked about being humble and keep playing the same way. I think Wednesday's game, we started to back off a little bit. We let off the gas just a little bit. Abbotsford is a good team but tonight was a full effort from our side.

On the final two minutes of the game

Well, I was just trying to stay present, just stay in the moment and trying to in those scramble moments, just trying to find the puck and be as calm as possible, because I know at the end the puck will have to go past me to go in. I just kind of stayed pretty calm, and was looking for the puck one at time but we did an unbelievable job. [Tyson] Hinds too with a couple blocks and [Ryan Carpenter] with the effort. So that's makes it easier for as a goalie.

On picking up his second shutout of the season against Abbotsford

Well, I thought I played pretty well the games before my absence as well. I just didn't get the results with me. But I think the difference this year compared to the other two years is that I just stay in in my own stuff, like I don't worry about anything else than just my own stuff. And that makes a huge difference. I feel like there's nothing like technical or physical that is that different I would say, but just the mental side. I feel more mature, and I'm executing at a high level right now so just trying to keep it going.

Head coach Matt McIlvane

On what the message was going into the third period

We've been through this and gotten over it through this season, and we had something creep back in the last game where we blew a lead in the third period. So, it's a good opportunity for us to go talk about playing shut down hockey, and how to close out teams, and kind of the way we got to think. What I was proud of today was we were actually a little tighter than I was expecting us to be at the first start of it, but then we settled into the period, and I thought there was a lot of good hockey that was played in the third.

On Calle Clang's performance tonight

Calle's been rock solid. I think he had to make a couple of big saves, but I give a lot of this to our team defense today. I just thought we blocked so many shots, and there were sticks and lanes, and we were collapsing like crazy. I thought that was a team shutout.

On the Matthew Phillips, Sasha Pastujov, and Jan Mysak line

I know those guys were patiently waiting to play together, and maybe it's not so patient. I know that there's chemistry there, but you're always trying to create balance in the lineup. I think with the changes that happened today, we had great balance and allowed those guys to be together, and they were great.

On this being the first 1-0 regular season victory in Gulls AHL history

That's impressive. My old mentor coach always used to say, 'you prepare to win every game one to nothing.' So the whole mentality behind it is, you defend like crazy, and you know you're going to get one, but it's, it's a team mentality that we were able to show today.

On playing Coachella Valley tomorrow

Well, last time we played them, it was very lopsided. The other games, they've gone to overtime, and we smoked them in game one. So, it's a team that has a lot of skill. They got a hot power play. They're playing well right now. It's a great challenge for us that we'll be ready for.

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American Hockey League Stories from January 17, 2026


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