Gulls Fall in Shootout to Condors
March 2, 2025 - American Hockey League (AHL)
San Diego Gulls News Release
The San Diego Gulls erased three separate one-goal deficits tonight to force overtime and pick up a big point in the Pacific Division standings. The Gulls were ultimately bested by the Bakersfield Condors 5-4 after falling 2-1 in a shootout. San Diego is 8-2-1-1 in their last 12 games.
Nikita Nesterenko registered another four-point night with a goal and three assists for the second game in a row. Nesterenko is the first player in Gulls AHL history to log back-to-back four-point efforts. It's his fourth career four-point game which is the most by any Gulls player in AHL team history. Nesterenko's four-point effort is his third multi-point game in his last four contests (4-6=10). Nesterenko's 12th goal of the season came on the penalty kill, his first career shorthanded goal. The Gulls forward was the lone goal scorer for the San Diego in the shootout tonight netting his second of the season.
Yegor Sidorov opened the scoring for San Diego with his 12th goal of the season and equalized the game late in the third period with his 13th lamp lighter. Sidorov has points in back-to-back contests.
Justin Bailey netted his 15th goal of the year with a power play strike in the third period. In 16 games with the Gulls, Bailey has totaled 8-5=13 points.
Tristan Luneau extended his career-best point streak to nine games with two assists tonight. Luneau's nine-game assist streak is the longest by any Gulls skater in team history. The San Diego blueliner's 34 assists are tied for the league lead while his 6-34@ points rank second among all AHL defensemen.
Roland McKeown collected his 17th assist of the year for his second straight night with an assist. McKeown has 1-3=4 points in his last five games.
Nathan Gaucher tallied his ninth assist of the season.
Tyson Hinds picked up his 14th point of the campaign with his 11th assist.
Oscar Dansk stopped 33-of-37 shots tonight.
The Gulls hop on the road for the next two games as they face the San Jose Barracuda on Wednesday, March 5 and the Ontario Reign Friday, March 7.
POSTGAME QUOTES
SAN DIEGO GULLS
Head coach Matt McIlvane
On what he liked about how the team responded tonight
We needed that point, that's for sure. Going down three times in a game, coming back three times, shows a lot of character, and I think that's the positive that we can take away from this game. When you've got three games in four nights, three different opponents, it's certainly challenging for the mind. We've had injuries along the way. We're playing a little short, a little banged up, so you got to make that next choice about the way you're going to work and the way that we decided to work into the second and third period. I loved our response. Certainly, that wasn't the most beautiful game we've played, but we'll take that point.
On Nikita Nesterenko's back-to-back four-point performances
We need guys to step up, and that's exactly what he did. There's a wonderful opportunity sitting there for guys to grab, and that's what Nikita is doing right now.
On the return of Oscar Dansk tonight
Too many shots. We didn't like our first period at all. We looked like we were stuck in the game yesterday or something. But Oscar gave us a chance to find our game, and then we found more of it into the second and third. But Oscar was excellent.
On what the message is with 19 games to go
We allowed ourselves to stay in the hunt, we started the playoff push we say, 14 points back, and now the point today keeps us within range of Tucson, seven points back, and if we can keep clawing into the month of March, set up for a really exciting April.
Defenseman Roland McKeown
On what tonight's performance says about the heart of the team
Tons of comeback ability in our group. Huge credit to the power play for getting that one in the third, and then Luneau and Sidorov connecting for that breakaway. I think that's big players making huge plays at key times, and that's what that's what we need. And it really showed tonight.
On Dansk's performance
Dansk has been awesome. He was the reason we got that seven-game win streak started and came right back in there tonight. He's been awesome for us. Great that he gets the call up, too. He earned that. And then he comes back in and shows a solid performance.
On other players stepping up to the plate in the wake of injuries
Absolutely. Those guys call up opportunity. It's great to see. They work hard for that. And we're learning, we had that two-one lead going after that Nesterenko shorthanded goal, and I think we took a breath. That's the learning lesson in that game, for me, is you have to have a killer instinct within the hockey game, and that was it. And we let that game get to two-two, and then, in the third, it's back and forth. That's a good life learning lesson for all of us, and especially as we're a young team, and that'll come together for us eventually.
On how the team is heading into March
I love that we put that win streak together. I think it builds a lot of team confidence. Builds belief in that room, that every time you lace them up, you go in with a winning mindset. And from game one to now, there's a huge difference, the culture, the standard, and we look to build on the rest of the way here. What do we have 20 games left, or so 19 now. So, let's string together some more. Put the pressure on Tucson, Abbotsford, and Bakersfield. It's going to be a neck-and-neck race. It's up to us to make sure that occurs.
American Hockey League Stories from March 2, 2025
- Stars Move into First Place with Shutout Victory - Texas Stars
- Bears, Shepard Shutout Lehigh Valley, 4-0 - Hershey Bears
- Wolves Blanked by Stars 4-0 - Chicago Wolves
- Wolf Pack Lose 5-2 to Bruins - Hartford Wolf Pack
- P-Bruins Rally in Final Frame to Beat Wolf Pack - Providence Bruins
- Crunch Fall to Comets, 5-4, in Overtime - Syracuse Crunch
- Beckman's Goals Help Utica to 5-4 Overtime Win vs. Crunch - Utica Comets
- Panthers Recall Chris Driedger - Charlotte Checkers
- Phantoms Recall Boulton, Bernard, Miller - Lehigh Valley Phantoms
- Preview: Phantoms at Bears, Game #56 - Lehigh Valley Phantoms
- Wranglers Fall 8-4 to Canucks - Calgary Wranglers
- Wolf Pack Conclude Three-In-Three Weekend vs. Bruins - Hartford Wolf Pack
- Game Preview: Bears vs. Phantoms, 5 p.m. - Hershey Bears
- Gulls Fall in Shootout to Condors - San Diego Gulls
- Barracuda Turn Off Knights, 4-1 - San Jose Barracuda
- Silver Knights Drop First of Series, 4-1, to San Jose - Henderson Silver Knights
- Eagles Blank Reign, 4-0 - Ontario Reign
- Tough Second Sinks Sens in Laval, 4-1 - Belleville Senators
- Roadrunners Extend Point Streak in 3-2 OT Loss to Rockford - Tucson Roadrunners
- Caggiula Paces Condors in 5-4 Win - Bakersfield Condors
- Miner Authors Second Consecutive Shutout in 4-0 Blanking of Ontario - Colorado Eagles
- Sanford's OT Heroics Finishes Tucson, Hogs Win 3-2 - Rockford IceHogs
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