2022-2023 Game 46: San Diego Gulls at Coachella Valley Firebirds

After dropping a close and heart-breaking loss the night before the San Diego Gulls returned to Acrisure Arena looking to try again to get back in the win column in their final game before the All Star break.

Josh Lopina drew back in after being a healthy scratch and Bryce Kindopp sat out. No other changes were made to the line-up.

Lukas Dostal was given the start in the back to back.

First Period:

Once again San Diego forgot to show up for the first period and spotted the Firebirds three goals within the first ten minutes as they stood stationary and watched them skate pink-blurs around them.

With the traveling San Diego Gulls faithful doing their absolute best to keep spirits up, San Diego did momentarily remember how to play defense and things settled down somewhat until the conclusion of the first set of twenty.

An atypical 2022-2023 Gulls first period as they hit the first intermission down 3-0 and looking in no hurry to mount a comeback. Shots were 10-7 Coachella Valley on the period.

Second Period: Coachella Valley Firebirds 3 – San Diego Gulls 0

The second period followed much the same formula as the final two periods of the previous encounter the night before as the Gulls managed to keep the Firebirds offense at bay while being unable to generate any of their own due to taking far too many penalties.

One of those penalties cost them as the Firebirds added to their tally via their public-enemy-no1 Captain Max McCormick on a nice tip in front. 4-0 Firebirds.

The Gulls down 4-0 and still looking physically and mentally unable to mount any form of comeback. Shots were 22-16 for the Firebirds.

Third Period: Coachella Valley Firebirds 4 – San Diego Gulls 0

Nothing much happened in the third other than the Gulls getting a brief five on three power-play and squandering it spectacularly.

They came close on two occasions on separate man advantage situations but even as the home-fans grew bored and started a Mexican wave to keep themselves entertained the Gulls seemed content to sleep-walk out the rest of the game.

San Diego dropping their fifth straight.

Post Game Notes:

Officially done

I did have some small measure of hope for the rest of this season but I am firmly back on the “this season is a write-off” bus now. This team just looks completely lost. Even the veterans can’t seem to make the right plays or have any influence at all when the team needs waking up or settling down. This season has just been a perfect storm of utter shit. Shit coaching. Shit personnel decisions in the off-season and shitty bad luck with injuries. A complete lack of leadership or ownership of how terrible the team has been from across the organization but lets start at the top.

Mr DiMaio? You there?

In his first year as the Gulls General Manager and Ducks Assistant GM the “future NHL GM someday” Rob DiMaio has not impressed. When both the Gulls and Ducks were hit with injuries the best he could do was trade Danny O’Regan for Michael Del Zotto and pull in a cast-off from a rival expansion team. You have to wonder what the overall strategy is here. On the surface it carries all of the hallmarks of a team actively wanting to lose in order to secure a chance at a high draft selection but that kind of positive reinforcement only works in the NHL where such a draft exists. There is no such thing in the AHL. Playing like absolute crap this season does nothing but put you in the running for some records that you might not want to break. So what is the strategy here? Is it like I am currently doing and waiting until seasons end for the beginning of this next wave of prospects to arrive after their respective Junior and College seasons are finished? If so that is kind of a shitty way to treat your fans that pay good money to watch terrible hockey week after week.

Records Up for Grabs!

Although the Gulls are saved some embarrassment by being unable to break some of these records due a maximum number of 72 games played this season – they are still very much in the running to break some of them!

Most games lost – one season: 60 games – Binghamton Whalers 1989-1990. 11-60-9

Fewest games won – one season: 5 games – Philadelphia Rockets 1946-1947. 5-52-7

Fewest home wins – one season: 8 games – Baltimore Skipjacks 1987-1988. 8-27-5

Fewest goals scored – one season: 153 goals – San Antonio Rampage 2005-2006

Most goals allowed – one season: Baltimore Skipjacks 1987-1988

You get the idea.

The Gulls are currently 12-34-0-0 leading the AHL in losses and dead last in wins. They have 114 goals for, again dead last but only two behind San Jose and despite Lukas Dostals All Star talent are dead last in goals against also with 181 goals allowed.

They have 26 games remaining so do actually have a chance at the most games lost record if they drop all of their remaining games (which the way things have gone is actually not too unlikely).

They have already surpassed the fewest games won total so the Philadelphia Rockets of 1946 can breath a sigh of relief.

The San Antonio Rampage total of 153 goals or less is still up for grabs – particularly if the Gulls manage just one tally or less per game for the reaming 26 contests.

And the AHL stats site wont go back further than the 90s so I can’t see exactly how many goals the Baltimore Skipjacks allowed in the 1987-1988 season but one must imagine that team must have been an incredibly bad one to hold more than a few terrible records.