Gulls Win Again, Top Reign, 4-3
Published on January 31, 2026 under American Hockey League (AHL)
San Diego Gulls News Release
The San Diego Gulls defeated the Ontario Reign 4-3 Friday night at Acrisure Arena, giving San Diego back-to-back victories and standings points in three straight games. The Gulls now have earned points in five of the last seven contests (4-2-0-1) and in 16 of their last 24 games (13-8-2-1) and now sit with a 20-13-6-3 record. Tonight's crowd was 12,920, a sellout crowd, marking San Diego's 16th sellout in the franchise's AHL history.
Nathan Gaucher scored the game-winning goal with 17 seconds remaining, his first career GWG, and tallied an assist for back-to-back two point nights (1-1=2).
Judd Caulfield set a new single-season AHL high with his 12th goal of the season, his second in as many games, and earned two assists for back-to-back multi-point games (1-2=3). He now has six points across his last three games (2-4=6). With 12-14& points this season, Caulfield tied his single-season high set in 2023-24 (10-16&).
Tyson Hinds netted his second goal and tallied his eighth assist for his second multi-point game of the season.
Ryan Carpenter scored his eighth goal of the season, his second in his last three games (2-0=2).
Nico Myatovic extended his assist streak to three games (0-3=3) with his seventh helper of the campaign.
Tristan Luneau and Nikita Nesterenko each tallied an assist.
Calle Clang earned his 10th victory of the season, stopping 16 shots. Over his last 16 starts, Clang is 10-3-2.
The Gulls host the Henderson Silver Knights on Wednesday night in their final game before the All-Star break (7 p.m. PST).
POSTGAME QUOTES
SAN DIEGO GULLS
Center Nathan Gaucher
On the third period tonight
I think one of the big things is the fans today were unbelievable. Getting a crowd like this is so fun and just gets the guys ready to go, ready to battle. We wanted to win this game really bad and between the second and the third, it was just the belief, and we knew we had more to give. So that's what we did.
On Calle Clang's performance tonight
He's unbelievable. He's been really good for the past month for us, we know we can count on him. He's been a brick wall, and we want to win those games for him too.
On the scoring depth of all four lines
It's as deep as you go in the season. You need those guys, those lines, to produce it. You can't always rely on the top two lines, top scorers. It's our job to get some goals for the team and produce as well, and you're going to need that in playoffs. So, it's just an early start for us.
On scoring with 17 seconds left in the game
Turnover created by me and Judd [Caulfield]. Judd just put the puck deep, and [Nikita] Nesterenko on his speed and his skill just brings it to the net. I knew Nesty was going to get far post, so if there's a rebound, I can just chip it in. So that's what I did.
On if tonight feels like a turning point
Yeah, feels good. I think that was a good full 60 effort for them from the team. Three games in four days just proves what our group is capable of, and we get to continue on that growth.
Defenseman Tyson Hinds
On his goal in the third period
Everything happened so fast. It's a good zone entry, good rush. Thankfully, [Nathan Gaucher] missed a shot and then a couple rebounds, I was right there. Perfect timing, perfect spot too and I just had to kind of shove it in.
On what the message was coming out for the third
It was a big crowd, a lot of energy going on. I think we owed that one to our fans too. We were down one goal. Just keep on grinding and keep on finding ways to win. That's just Gulls hockey. Third period, I think we outshot them, what? 19 to two, apparently. So that's great. I think that's the way we played. Our third career was great and that's what we want to do every game.
On if he's played in front of a better crowd at Pechanga Arena
No, no, not in Pechanga. It was great tonight, and we owe them. We owed them everything. Hopefully they had a lot of fun, and it was a great show. We're happy that we got a win for them here.
On if tonight feels like a turning point
It's just a lot of hype up on Ontario. It's a big rivalry over the years and everything. I feel like our season has had a lot of ups and downs, but we were grinding, and we're right there. I think we can prove it to everybody. They're first in the Pacific right now, and we proved it to everybody that we can win games against the top teams, because we believe that we are a top team and we have great talent on our roster and everything. We're confident, and we just need to keep going.
Head coach Matt McIlvane
On the heart of the team in the third period
We have so much character in our locker room, and we've seen so many different times this year where we've been down and come back and sealed the deal or forced overtime. We just knew that we were going to find a way today and I give the guys so much credit for gutting this one out.
On Calle Clang's performance tonight
I think his best saves are in the second period. He had two slot line plays, and one of them got tipped out of the air, but he was unbelievable in the net today. I think he's established a really calm, solid game, and that he was able to give to us today.
On Ryan Carpenter
When things aren't going well, you want people who take accountability. They say, 'I can do a little bit more,' and then the way that you back it up is when the moment's on the line, you step up. That's what we know our captain's capable of doing.
On the bottom two lines seeing success
The lines just get put together, top six, bottom six. I don't spend a lot of time thinking about that. I know we have got a deep team, and I know we got guys that are capable of scoring. You look at these goals and where they scored from, they're all the hard areas. The guys that want to go there, they get rewarded and we're thankful that they do.
On grabbing six points this week
We'll take all the momentum from all these games that we can. I think the key is you just kind of stay even keel, and we get an opportunity to rest and practice, which we haven't had in a bit, so we're already looking forward to the next game.
American Hockey League Stories from January 31, 2026
- Roadrunners Fall to Eagles in Overtime, 3-2 - Tucson Roadrunners
- Gulls Win Again, Top Reign, 4-3 - San Diego Gulls
- Lombardi's Three-Point Night Powers Griffins' Win over Chicago - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Barracuda Race Past Wranglers, 7-2 - San Jose Barracuda
- Colorado Storms Back to Defeat Roadrunners, 3-2, in OT - Colorado Eagles
- Stars Upend Silver Knights for Fifth Straight Victory - Texas Stars
- Kyrou and Wisdom Drive Win - Lehigh Valley Phantoms
- Wolves' Points Streak Snapped with 5-2 Loss to Griffins - Chicago Wolves
- 16.278 Fans Watch Monsters Take 6-5 Overtime Victory from Senators - Cleveland Monsters
- Miroshnichenko Lifts Bears to 4-3 OT Win over Comets - Hershey Bears
- Penguins Crush Crunch on Crosscheck Cancer Night - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
- Islanders Handed 5-3 Road Loss against Phantoms - Bridgeport Islanders
- Sunday's Checkers Game Is Closed to Public - Charlotte Checkers
- T-Birds Outmuscle Wolf Pack, 4-1 - Springfield Thunderbirds
- Comets Earn Point in OT Loss to Hershey - Utica Comets
- Wolf Pack Fall 4-1 to Thunderbirds - Hartford Wolf Pack
- Crunch Defeated by Penguins, 4-1 - Syracuse Crunch
- Anderson-Dolan Nets a Pair in Moose Win - Manitoba Moose
- Reign Preview - Ontario at San Diego - Ontario Reign
- Capitals Recall Trineyev and Bjorklund from Hershey - Hershey Bears
- Providence Ends Checkers' Point Streak - Charlotte Checkers
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- New York Rangers Assign F Brett Berard to Hartford Wolf Pack - Hartford Wolf Pack
- Blues Assign F Matt Luff to T-Birds - Springfield Thunderbirds
- Preview: Phantoms vs. Bridgeport, Game 42 - Lehigh Valley Phantoms
- Bears Recall Goaltender Seth Eisele from South Carolina - Hershey Bears
- Transactions: Pederson Returns, Kolosov to Flyers - Lehigh Valley Phantoms
- Preview: Condors vs Canucks, 7 p.m. - Bakersfield Condors
- Justin Holl Returns to Grand Rapids - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Game Preview: Bears at Comets, 6 p.m. - Hershey Bears
- Providence Bruins Recall Jacob Perreault from Mariners - Providence Bruins
- Bojangles Game Preview: January 31 vs. Providence - Charlotte Checkers
- Wranglers Face off against Barracuda - Calgary Wranglers
- Wranglers Fall, 5-1, in San Jose - Calgary Wranglers
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