June 30, 2025 - 23 Games Today

Iowa Keeps Gulls in Funk

January 29, 2022 - American Hockey League (AHL)
San Diego Gulls News Release

The San Diego Gulls fell 6-1 to the Iowa Wild tonight at Wells Fargo Arena.

Nikolas Brouillard scored his sixth goal of the season to move into a tie for fourth in goal scoring among AHL defensemen scoring leaders. Brouillard leads Gulls blueliners in assists, goals and points with 6-12=18. Brent Gates Jr. and Mike McKee earned assists on the play. McKee's helper marked his first AHL point.

Olle Eriksson Ek made 16 saves in the setback.

The Gulls return home for a four-game homestand beginning Wednesday, Feb. 2 vs. the Colorado Eagles at Pechanga Arena San Diego (7 p.m. PT).

POSTGAME QUOTES

San Diego Gulls

Assistant Coach Daniel Jacob

On Iowa's push in the first period:

Even the first five minutes were not good, AJ. We had a tough start. We turned the puck over. You don't do that. We wanted to push ourselves and that's not what we did. We shoot ourself in the foot right from the puck drop.

On the penalty kill:

Yeah, we were really good for a long stretch and now we've been struggling for a few games. We had a good look there in Abbotsford. We need to stick with it. It's definitely we need to refresh mentally, physically. It's been a tough two weeks. A game you're short-staffed and having guys having to fill in some different roles. We just need to stick with it. Hopefully we get some bodies back, but we're going to have to step up for sure.

On battling fatigue through this stretch of travel:

The traveling, that's part of the job. That's what we do. Like I said before, there's some guys that are being asked to play tons of minutes. There's a lot of them, too, that aren't sitting in the right chair. They need to embrace the opportunity. Fatigue can be an excuse, but at the same time we need to be realistic. The physical and emotional side of it has taken it's toll the last two weeks.

On Nikolas Brouillard:

Yeah, Brou's (Nikolas Brouillard) been having a good year. For him it's just to find that consistency. He helped us on the backend, but it's finding that fine line between he's having some great games, but he's having some tougher ones and how can he manage that workload. And I know it's not easy for him to move from being a defenseman to being a forward. So, I'm glad he got the goals but there's way more to it than just scoring goals.

Mike McKee

On Iowa gaining control of the game early on:

I don't know. I thought we were ready to play. It's just they have a really good power play and we took an early one. They made us pay for it quick and they kind of got rolling from there and we were kind of flagged and didn't have an answer for them.

On improving the penalty kill:

It's just familiarity. We've had a lot of different combinations going and guys trying to fill in for each other. It just comes with consistency and playing wit the same guys and being on the same page. The desperation is there and willingness to kill penalties and block shots and make our plays is there. It's just we need a little more chemistry going. We're getting there, but it's just going to take a little bit.

On the milestone of earning his first AHL point:

I guess I didn't really think about it until right now. It's hard with the loss and everything, but I guess I'll look back in a little while and see where the rest of the year takes me and at the end of the day, I can look back and say that it happened. It's pretty cool, but it's hard to think about right now.

On the team pulling itself out of its current slump:

We've got a four-game homestand coming up. That's a good start and everybody is a little mad, everybody's back is up against the wall right now. The work ethic is there. We just all, it's just chemistry and playing together. We just need more guys on the same page. Everybody has bought into the systems and that's been the biggest adjustment for me is just trying to pick up all the systems and the style of play that they've got going on here, which I love. It's just trying to get used to it and being in the right spots at all times. It's just game by game for me. I'm just trying to do what I can and try and get more comfortable out there. I'm a lot more comfortable now than I was in the first game, but I still have a long way to go.

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[PostGameNotes-header]

POSTGAME NOTES

San Diego 1 @ Iowa 6

Jan. 29, 2022

Wells Fargo Arena

13-18-2-0, 28 points

Box Score: San Diego 1 @ Iowa 6

Postgame Interview Links:

Assistant Coach Daniel Jacob | Mike McKee

The San Diego Gulls fell 6-1 to the Iowa Wild tonight at Wells Fargo Arena.

Nikolas Brouillard scored his sixth goal of the season to move into a tie for fourth in goal scoring among AHL defensemen scoring leaders. Brouillard leads Gulls blueliners in assists, goals and points with 6-12=18. Brent Gates Jr. and Mike McKee earned assists on the play. McKee's helper marked his first AHL point.

Olle Eriksson Ek made 16 saves in the setback.

The Gulls return home for a four-game homestand beginning Wednesday, Feb. 2 vs. the Colorado Eagles at Pechanga Arena San Diego (7 p.m. PT).

POSTGAME QUOTES

San Diego Gulls

Assistant Coach Daniel Jacob On Iowa's push in the first period: Even the first five minutes were not good, AJ. We had a tough start. We turned the puck over. You don't do that. We wanted to push ourselves and that's not what we did. We shoot ourself in the foot right from the puck drop.

On the penalty kill: Yeah, we were really good for a long stretch and now we've been struggling for a few games. We had a good look there in Abbotsford. We need to stick with it. It's definitely we need to refresh mentally, physically. It's been a tough two weeks. A game you're short-staffed and having guys having to fill in some different roles. We just need to stick with it. Hopefully we get some bodies back, but we're going to have to step up for sure.

On battling fatigue through this stretch of travel: The traveling, that's part of the job. That's what we do. Like I said before, there's some guys that are being asked to play tons of minutes. There's a lot of them, too, that aren't sitting in the right chair. They need to embrace the opportunity. Fatigue can be an excuse, but at the same time we need to be realistic. The physical and emotional side of it has taken it's toll the last two weeks.

On Nikolas Brouillard: Yeah, Brou's (Nikolas Brouillard) been having a good year. For him it's just to find that consistency. He helped us on the backend, but it's finding that fine line between he's having some great games, but he's having some tougher ones and how can he manage that workload. And I know it's not easy for him to move from being a defenseman to being a forward. So, I'm glad he got the goals but there's way more to it than just scoring goals.

Mike McKee On Iowa gaining control of the game early on: I don't know. I thought we were ready to play. It's just they have a really good power play and we took an early one. They made us pay for it quick and they kind of got rolling from there and we were kind of flagged and didn't have an answer for them.

On improving the penalty kill: It's just familiarity. We've had a lot of different combinations going and guys trying to fill in for each other. It just comes with consistency and playing wit the same guys and being on the same page. The desperation is there and willingness to kill penalties and block shots and make our plays is there. It's just we need a little more chemistry going. We're getting there, but it's just going to take a little bit.

On the milestone of earning his first AHL point: I guess I didn't really think about it until right now. It's hard with the loss and everything, but I guess I'll look back in a little while and see where the rest of the year takes me and at the end of the day, I can look back and say that it happened. It's pretty cool, but it's hard to think about right now.

On the team pulling itself out of its current slump: We've got a four-game homestand coming up. That's a good start and everybody is a little mad, everybody's back is up against the wall right now. The work ethic is there. We just all, it's just chemistry and playing together. We just need more guys on the same page. Everybody has bought into the systems and that's been the biggest adjustment for me is just trying to pick up all the systems and the style of play that they've got going on here, which I love. It's just trying to get used to it and being in the right spots at all times. It's just game by game for me. I'm just trying to do what I can and try and get more comfortable out there. I'm a lot more comfortable now than I was in the first game, but I still have a long way to go.

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