2023-2024 Game 20: San Diego Gulls at Milwaukee Admirals

After following up a convincing win with a disappointing loss to the Wolves the night immediately after the San Diego Gulls hoped to regroup and get back on track as they rolled into Milwaukee.

Interestingly Coach McIlvane went back to the 11/7, opting to give Nick Wolff some time out of the press box whilst also putting the recently recalled Jaxsen Wiebe in and taking out both Travis Howe and Blake McLaughlin.

It was noted on the Gulls twitter account that Sasha Pastujov was also injured, as he joined Pavol Regenda as being week to week with a lower body injury. Thomas Suchanek was given the start with Calle Clang backing up.

First Period:

With the first five minutes filled with stoppages and disjointed play, the unfamiliar foes felt each-other out and the Gulls started to come out on top with some good transition through the neutral zone.

Andrew Aggozino ended up on the receiving end of one of those speedy transitional plays and as he came in on a two on one with Josh Lopina he looked off the second year pro and wired a shot top corner to give San Diego the early 1-0 lead.

The Admirals attempted a response but were found guilty of tripping as Ben King was felled while attempting to skate the puck out of the San Diego zone.

On the resulting Power Play it took all of six seconds for San Diego to win the face-off back to the point and set up Olen Zellweger for the one timer right down the middle. His blast proving too hard and too fast as it whistled under Yaroslav Askarov before the Predators first round draft selection could get set. 2-0 Gulls.

Once again the Admirals attempted an instant response and this time it was the Gulls found guilty of tripping as Nick Wolff was sent off for two minutes for his indiscretion. San Diego killed the minor on the back of some good work in the neutral zone and prevented the home team from getting set for the entirety of the two minute infraction.

The remaining time in the period was spent in a battle for the neutral zone with the Gulls mostly coming out on top and enjoying the majority of possession as a result.

With San Diego getting a face-off win and possession in the Admirals zone in the final minute of play, they added to their 2-0 lead with a shot from the point released by Trevor Carrick and tipped enroute by the savvy Glen Gawdin. 3-0 Gulls.

The Gulls exploding for a 3-0 lead against the 5th ranked most defensive team in the AHL as they hit the first intermission. Shots were 14-10 for the home team but as the shot map showed, the Gulls kept Milwaukee to the perimeter for the majority of their chances.

Second Period: San Diego Gulls 3 – Milwaukee Admirals 0

Play was physical to begin the second and again it took the first five minutes of play for things to settle into a more open-ice format as the Gulls fought to hold their 3-0 lead and the Admirals did everything they could to get on the board.

The stalemate was finally broken when the Admirals Navrin Mutter was called for holding as he impeded the progress of a rolling Judd Caulfield through the neutral zone.

The Gulls once again proved deadly with the man advantage, playing the umbrella and attempting shots from the right side before eventually setting up Olen Zellweger for the one timer from the top once again. This time his shot was tipped by Ben King on its way through and by Askarov. 4-0 Gulls.

The goal chased Askarov and brought in the veteran Troy Grosenick.

Interspersed with some four on four play the remainder of the frame ran by in quick succession as the Gulls stayed strong on defense while also astutely prodding the Admirals for perhaps a fifth tally.

Play began to get chippy as the home teams growing frustration threatened to boil over, Nick Wolff was given his second minor of the night – this time for holding – that was quickly erased as Chase De Leo was interfered with on a shorthanded two on one break with Andrew Agozzino moments later.

San Diego once again holding their cool and the lead as they went to the second intermission up 4-0 while still trailing in shots 25-17. The shot map showing the period being low on chances and more a battle of the neutral zone.

Third Period: San Diego Gulls 4 – Milwaukee Admirals 0

There is not better way to start a third period with a four nothing lead than having back to back Power Plays and the Gulls had just that.

Looking particularly deadly with the second unit on their first man advantage, the Gulls could not convert on either but more importantly prevented the Admirals from being able to get on the board for the first six or so minutes of play.

As time approached the halfway point the Gulls were cruising and locked in to playing the perfect road game, clogging the neutral zone and forcing the Admirals to earn any form of attack from their own end.

San Diego got into some penalty trouble at the nine minute mark as they were forced to kill back to back penalties first to Drew Helleson for cross-checking and then Nick Wolff for holding. They escaped both unscathed but the resulting momentum and additional space created allowed a Denis Gurianov rush down the right side and the former Dallas first round pick beat Suchanek glove side. 4-1 Gulls.

Riding momentum from the goal and their suddenly energized home crowd the Admirals pressed the advantage and quickly tallied another after a bad defensive breakdown in the San Diego zone. 4-2 Gulls with five minutes left.

The Admirals pulled their net-minder with two minutes remaining but San Diego regrouped and were able to shut down any further chances, sealing the victory with a Nikita Nesterenko empty net goal from his own end. Gulls win 5-2.

Post Game Notes:

Mystery Solved

With Jaxsen Wiebe recalled earlier this week it was widely assumed that someone in turn would be called up from the Gulls to Anaheim as Mason McTavish was announced as week to week with an upper body injury. But no recall came and we now see that the Wiebe call up was likely in response to the injury to Sasha Pastujov. Bad luck for Pastujov who has struggled to get into the line-up and who ironically I had already suggested should see time in Tulsa to help with his confidence.

Am I A Wizard?

Not that I am taking credit or think they read this but since I called out the vets on back to back post game notes last week it seems they have responded. Glenn Gawdin has three points in his last two games and Andrew Agozzino has four points in his last three. Agozzino now has 17 points in 20 games and is tied for the team lead in scoring with Trevor Carrick.

Similarly the Penalty Kill – which I also disparaged – was 6/1 tonight.

Rookie Scoring Update

Olen Zellweger – despite the Gulls terrible start – has kept pace in the Rookie scoring race and now sits ninth overall with 16 points in 19 games. He is fourth in assists and seventh in Power Play goals.

Final Thoughts

Is this it? Is this the turn-around? I’m not entirely saying yes just yet. This is a young team and consistency has been a huge concern in the first few months of the season. They are learning and have most definitely looked a thousand times better than they had a month ago but I am tempering expectations until I see how they do against Rockford this weekend.