Gulls Edge Firebirds, 4-3
Published on January 30, 2026 under American Hockey League (AHL)
San Diego Gulls News Release
The San Diego Gulls defeated the Coachella Valley Firebirds 4-3 Friday night at Acrisure Arena, giving San Diego standings points in back-to-back games and in four of the last six contests (3-2-0-1). The Gulls have earned points in 15 of their last 23 games (12-8-2-1) and now sit with a 19-14-6-3 record.
Yegor Sidorov scored his 11th and 12th goals and collected his 11th assist for his first multi-goal game of the season and a season-tying 2-1=3 points. He now has 4-2=6 points over his last five games. Sidorov ranks second among active Gulls skaters in goals.
Judd Caulfield scored his 11th goal, matching his AHL career-high in goals in a single season, and earned his 12th assist for his fifth multi-point effort of the season. He ranks third among San Diego skaters in goals.
Stian Solberg netted his fifth goal of the season, the first power-play of his AHL career. He leads Gulls blueliners and ranks tied for second among AHL rookie defensemen in goals.
Roland McKeown collected his 13th and 14th assists of the campaign, his fourth multi-assist game of the season. He leads Gulls defensemen in scoring (3-14=17) and assists.
Nathan Gaucher earned two assists for his first multi-assist effort of the season and third of his AHL career. He now has seven helpers on the campaign.
Nico Myatovic tallied his second assist in as many games (0-2=2), his sixth of the season.
Justin Bailey picked up an assist, his 10th.
Tomas Suchanek earned his first victory of the season, stopping 26-of-29 shots. It is his first AHL win since April 21, 2024, as he missed the entirety of the 2024-25 season due to a torn ACL.
The Gulls head home to face the Ontario Reign tomorrow night at Pechanga Arena San Diego (6 p.m. PST).
POSTGAME QUOTES
SAN DIEGO GULLS
Right wing Judd Caulfield
On the feeling on the bench in the third period
We know we can't get too high or get too low. Obviously, it sucks giving up the two-goal lead in the third period. Given up a few of these, but there's great willpower by our team tonight just to stick with it and get the regulation win, which is huge against these guys who we're kind of chasing in the standings right now.
On scoring his 11th goal of the season
It felt great to get back on the board. 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 Tomas Suchanek getting his first win of the season
He was solid for us all night long. He made a lot of big saves for us. There were a few where he's fighting through traffic, and he was just there for the saves. That's huge for us when we need those sparks even late in the game, just good positioning, just making sound saves, no rebounds or anything like that. So, it was great to see him fight back after a long battle with injury last season. So yeah, he's a great goalie, and just love to see that for him.
On facing Ontario tomorrow night
We're all excited. We're pumped up. We've heard about the big crowd coming in, and we know we got great fans down in San Diego, so it's great atmosphere. We're going to go put on a show. Just be playing hard, playing physically, and you know Ontario's going to be playing the same way, so it's going to be a battle out there. We know we just got to outwork them, and compete, and we'll find our looks and find a way to bury them.
Left wing Yegor Sidorov
On the feeling on the bench in the third
We [felt] like we're not going to lose this game where we play hard, smart, and we finished the job.
On his two-goal night
I figured out what in this league you need to shoot more the puck, not to handle. 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.
On scoring on the power play
It's huge when we score in power play. I feel like that we're helping the team and feeling better. So yeah, it's huge.
On Tomas Suchanek's first victory of the season
Everyone thought he played great. He's a great, good goalie, and just hoping he's going to win more and more.
On facing Ontario tomorrow night
We're just going to play our hockey, Gulls hockey, and just play hard, putting the puck deep, be on top of them, and should be good.
Head coach Matt McIlvane
On the ending of tonight's win over Coachella Valley
I mean, you want to close that one out, and I think it's something, truthfully, that we're learning as a team how to how to do still. There's how important all the little details are it just set up for an incredible ending and for [Yegor] Sidorov to be a hero.
On the line of Yegor Sidorov, Judd Caulfield, and Nathan Gaucher
It's been this way since last season, and we know we can go to this line in a lot of different ways. It's when they play like that, they're really hard to play against.
On Tomas Suchanek logging his first win of the season
I hope what he takes away is that he's back. That's what I hope. I've been through a couple of ACL's 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.
On tomorrow's game against Ontario
Ontario has been up at the top of our division now for a while, and we know they're a fantastic team. They've got a lot of speed, very, very strong defensively, and it'll be a big challenge, but we'll bring our game.
American Hockey League Stories from January 30, 2026
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- The Canucks Fell, 7-2, to the Bakersfield Condors on the Road - Abbotsford Canucks
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- Bojangles Game Preview: January 28 at Hartford (2) - Charlotte Checkers
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