Gulls Drop Defensive Contest to Rockford
Published on February 22, 2026 under American Hockey League (AHL)
San Diego Gulls News Release
The San Diego Gulls fell 2-1 to the Rockford IceHogs Sunday afternoon at BMO Center. The Gulls' record now stands at 23-16-6-4.
Nathan Gaucher scored his seventh goal of the season, giving him 3-5=8 points over his last eight games.
Matthew Phillips extended his assist streak to three games with his 26th helper of the campaign. He has 0-4=4 points in that span and 2-4=6 points in his last six games.
Nikolas Brouillard collected his 16th assist of the season, giving him assists in three of his last five games (0-3=3).
Tomas Suchanek stopped 27-of-29 shots.
The Gulls return to Pechanga Arena San Diego on Wednesday to face the Tucson Roadrunners (7 p.m. PST).
POSTGAME QUOTES
SAN DIEGO GULLS
Center Nathan Gaucher
On the difference between today's game and last night's game
Not sure. It was another kind of bouncy game. Usually on back-to-backs, you try to close the game out a little bit for them and produce off our forecheck and that's, I think, where we lacked today. A couple of bounces didn't go our way and that's how the game ended.
On his goal and his linemates
Me and Judd [Caulfield] have been playing together for a while so we try to rely on each other, and we always get kind of a skill guy with us that can make plays and [Matthew] Phillips made a great pass on the goal. They're double shifting, so they're playing a lot so you try to do the most you can do on the line and produce offensively and defensively.
On close games late in the season
Close out those games like that today. Those tight games you want to come out on top for sure. Back-to-back games, like playoffs, are always tight and the next two months are really important for us going to the playoffs. We want to secure a spot, that's for sure. Play more as a unit of five and bear down on the chances we get.
Head coach Matt McIlvane
On today's loss to Rockford
Back-to-back, that definitely has a factor in the pace of the game, for sure. And so then it challenges you, kind of how you play with the puck. And feel like we gave it away a lot in the last game, and we were certainly very careful with it in the first. Kind of ended up chunking it around a little bit, but I thought as the game went on, we played a little better with the puck, truthfully. And I think a third period was our best as far as chance generation and having some zone time. But in the end, they've got the edge.
On the powerplay going 0-for-3
I'm sure when a team goes three-for-three, you put a focus on something. So that's probably the start of it. I didn't think our entry routes were off. I just felt like our passing was a little off as far as getting in and getting set. We feel like when we get set, we're real dangerous. I felt like today we had a harder time getting in.
On the last quarter of the season
We've worked real hard to put ourselves in the situation that we're in, but the job's not done. It's going to be the most intense hockey coming up, and to get wins at this time of year, it takes every guy. And that's what I expect us to do.
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