Gulls Still Streaking after Edging Henderson
December 12, 2024 - American Hockey League (AHL)
San Diego Gulls News Release
The San Diego Gulls extended their point streak to four games with a 5-4 victory over the Henderson Siler Knights tonight. The Gulls have won three of their last four games and have points in five of their last seven.
Nikita Nesterenko scored his fifth goal of the year with a power play tally in the first period and added an assist for his third multi-point game of the season.
Yegor Sidorov extended his goal streak to three games with a pair of goals this evening. His seven goals rank second among all Gulls skaters. He added an assist for his first career three-point night.
Jaxsen Wiebe buried his first goal of the season for his first point of the campaign.
Judd Caulfield registered his second multi-point game of the season scoring a goal and an assist tonight.
Andrew Lucas tallied his first two assists of the season.
Nathan Gaucher secured his first multi-point game of the year with two assists tonight.
Roland McKeown grabbed his team leading 14 th point (8-6=14) with an assist in the second period.
Pavol Regenda earned his eighth assist of the year.
Jan Mysak registered his second assist of the season.
Calle Clang stopped 29-of-33 shots tonight for his fifth win of the campaign.
The Gulls close out their homestand this Saturday, Dec. 14 when they welcome the San Jose Barracuda to Pechanga Arean San Diego (6. p.m.).
POSTGAME QUOTES
SAN DIEGO GULLS
Center Nathan Gaucher
On how they kept the faith tonight
I think we have to manage a bit better when we have the lead in our hands, but we always have faith and confidence in each other to come back in games. We've shown many times, and I think it's one of our strengths. We just got to learn how to play with the lead now.
On what's come together to make this great stretch of hockey
We're a team that knows their role. We just want to play hard. Every team that's going to come here is going to have a hard time and on the road as well, but just follow the game plan. Play hard. That's our style of hockey, and we're doing it well.
On making Pechanga Arena a difficult place to play
Yeah, of course, we can always be harder to play against, but we want to start games hard, make it known that it's not easy to come here to Pechanga Arena, with our fans and the team. That's the advantage when you play at home and you got to use it.
Left wing Nikita Nesterenko
On how they came back after Henderson scored first
We're starting to play to an identity here, where guys are starting to figure that out and just being hard to play against. It was a flukey goal right off the bat. You can't really look too much into it. Just kind of got to get back to your game really quick. We did that. Think Carpenter and Regenda were great all night, getting in all the four check, getting pucks back, and then it's (?). We got lucky and won one.
On getting back on the board
It feels good. Anytime you get on board it gives you a little confidence. But I don't know, I thought we played really well as a line together. Like I said, Carpenter and Regenda, relentless night on the forecheck. It was easy to play, kind of trying to find that little pocket. They're going to get it to you. It's one of those nights. Really happy with their game too.
On what Regenda adds to their line
He's a big guy. He's physical and finishes every hit. He's got a good stick, so you know he's going to battle every single shift. Never lets his foot off the gas. So, it's nice just knowing you're going to have someone that always gets in on the forecheck and get the puck back and just makes your job easier.
On consistency and their hard work paying off
I think it's just us finding our identity. Like I said, we have a lot of young guys on the team. We're only 20 games into the year, so still kind of finding their groove, knowing what it takes to play at this level. Our identity is being hard to play against, finishing every hit, getting pucks in. When we do that every night, it's going to get us results, like we're witnessing. So hopefully we can keep it going here.
On what it takes to stay consistent with their identity
I think it's easy when you're getting results. The work feels like it takes less effort, you get results you get on the score sheet. It's paying off for everyone so it's like a little cycle. Just knowing we're getting results from it, think that gives a lot of the guys confidence, and I think we're going to keep showing it as a group here.
Head coach Matt McIlvane
On how the team responded after allowing a goal 32 seconds in
Even though you get scored on that first one, it's not like you're looking at it as some giant mistake from a team perspective. It's a crazy bounce off the side of the net. And I thought that over our last few games, since we've rolled into December here, we have rediscovered an identity of who we are as a team. We've gelled and formed as a group, and that's allowed us to have something to stand on. I thought the guys showed that quite a bit today.
On Pavol Regenda and moving him to the first line
I thought this was one of the stronger games that I've seen Reggie play. It felt like the right move in the game. Just kind of looking at the intensity to which he started with, and just a little bit of gut feel. And it worked. Sometimes you get lucky on those and make the switch, and they scored the first shift. So those are the ones that you kind of feel good about, and he was able to carry it from there. I thought he had an excellent game.
On the third line combining for three goals
Last year with Nathan [Gaucher] and Judd [Caulfield], they always had chemistry, and they always had a line mate with them that they had good chemistry with. And we've been trying to figure out what was the right fit, and we bounced around a little bit, but Yegor [Sidorov] has turned into a perfect fit like we were hoping he would. He's getting better. Nathan's been making steady progress, and Judd's been on the score sheet here now all over in the last few games. So, they're hard to play against, and they're getting rewarded as a result.
On how the team kept finding answers to the opposition
It's a tough game for a team. It's a tough game for a goalie. Like, I'm sure [Calle Clang's] looking at these, and he's like, 'Man, that was a weird bouncer. How did that puck get there?' It's kind of these crazy caroms that were all over the game. And teamwise, it's like, they go in. It's like, 'Man, how did that happen?' Calle was unreal at the end. He made a couple huge saves. And teamwise, to be able to get down or give a goal, give up a lead, and just bounce back, it was big. For me, I thought the refs made a great call on the goalie interference. It ends up being the difference in the game, but very resilient.
On earning standings points in four straight games
When you get a reward for your efforts, it helps you to reinforce your efforts. The other thing is, when you're searching for a result, you can't focus on a result. You got to focus on how you're going to get there. And so identity produces behavior. And so that's what our guys have gotten excited about in the last little bit, and been very disciplined and demonstrated.
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