2023-2024 Game 31: San Diego Gulls vs Coachella Valley Firebirds

After missing a weekend of action due to flooding at the Pechanga arena the San Diego Gulls welcomed in the Coachella Valley Firebirds as well as two players returning from injury.

After being out since November 29th with a suspected knee injury, Pavol Regenda returned to the line-up. Blake McLaughlin also returned to action after being missing since the 16th of December.

Drew Helleson joined Jacob Perreault (injured) and Sasha Pastujov (injured) on the injury list while Travis Howe and Calle Clang were the healthy scratches. Recently recalled injury cover Anthony Costantini was also scratched.

Thomas Suchanek was given the start with Alex Stalock backing up.

First Period:

Starting out strong the Gulls had the visitors on the back-foot for the first five or so minutes of play, coming close on a few opportunities as all four lines kept the pressure on and the puck in the Coachella Valley zone.

It didn’t take long for the Firebirds to awaken and by the midway point of the frame they had things back in hand as they used their now very familiar physical fore-check to disrupt the Gulls breakout and create chances from turnovers in the San Diego zone.

Colton White proved the hero of the period as he followed up on a play in which Brayden Tracey lost his man and a pass found an open Ville Ottavainen cutting across the slot. His forehand to backhand move partially stopped by a sprawling Suchanek but the puck trickled through toward the goal line and only the stick of Colton White saved a sure goal.

A high sticking penalty to Ottavainen with under four minutes left in the period gave the Gulls their first opportunity on the Power Play but they could not convert and the period ended in a scoreless draw. The Gulls trailing with the ten shot disparity 16-6.

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

The Gulls again started the period strong and were this time rewarded as Jaxsen Wiebe got his second goal in as many games. The former Prince George Cougar following the play and having the puck bounce fortuitously off of him and into the net. 1-0 Gulls.

It was all Gulls for the next few minutes as they used momentum to keep the pressure on the Firebirds while slowly clawing back the shot disparity.

Then the penalty parade began – as teams traded penalties for the remainder of the period and the physicality ramped up but with neither side giving any quarter with the man down.

As teams skated at four on four after a Gustav Olofsson interference call was wiped by a similar call to Brayden Tracey moments later an end to end rush by Chase De Leo ended in the Gulls captain brought to a stop by the very obvious hooking and holding of a Firebirds player draped all over him. As the La Marida native stood perplexed in the Coachella Valley zone as to why no call was upcoming – Andrew Agozzino quickly pounced on the loose puck as it squirted loose from him to the side boards. The Gulls second tour of duty veteran forward wasting no time in pivoting and releasing a wicked wrist shot that beat Firebirds goaltender Ales Stezka top corner. 2-0 Gulls.

Time completed on the period and the Gulls took a deserved but still not stable 2-0 lead to the second intermission, taking a 10-6 shot lead on the period but still trailing 22-16 overall.

Third Period: San Diego Gulls 2 – Coachella Valley Firebirds 0

Coachella began the third by making the initial push but San Diego were able to weather the storm and went right back to the attack. Frustrating their opposition by giving them a taste of their own medicine with relentless pressure and physical play.

Time quickly approached the midway point with the Gulls still holding the 2-0 lead the Firebirds started to double and triple shift their big guns. Breaking through via an Andrew Poturalski pass to their Captain Max McCormick out front. 2-1 Gulls.

Just as it felt like the visitors might ride momentum through to a tie game the Gulls fought right back and a huge hit laid by Luca Profaca free’d the puck up in the San Diego zone. As his team-mates sent it quickly back up ice in transition the play developed into a beautiful passing sequence that concluded in an easy tap-in goal for Colton White who was driving the center lane. The veteran defender recognizing the outnumbered attack created by the hit from Profaca. 3-1 Gulls.

The Firebirds hit right back – utilizing their patented physical forecheck to force San Diego into a turnover in their own zone. 3-2 Gulls.

There was concern for Luca Profaca when action was halted in the Firebirds zone as the Gulls rugged defender lay prone on the ice clutching his face after he appeared to take a stick up high whilst on the forecheck down low.

Coachella Valley pulled their goaltender with under two minutes remaining and with some nail biting pressure making the final minutes of play seem like an eternity of anxiety – a huge save by Suchanek and then subsequent quick shot from Glen Gawdin who collected the rebound and immediately sent it toward the empty net made the final 4-2 as the Gulls skated away with the win over their newest and fiercest division rivals.

Post Game Notes:

My Thoughts On The Drysdale Deal

I posted it on twitter already but since it was mentioned on the broadcast in this game I suppose I should make it official and in writing here. As much as it sucks and was a total shock to lose Jamie Drysdale – the trade makes a lot of sense from a Ducks perspective. Anaheim has a LOT of defensive talent coming through – I get the feeling that the accelerated development of Tristan Luneau might have taken many by surprise and was the main reason the Ducks brass felt comfortable doing this deal. With the likes of Helleson, Zellweger, Luneau, Hinds, Warren and now Rodwin Dionicio coming through very shortly the Ducks have – to put it colloquially – plenty more where that came from. The fact that Helleson is a right shot defender makes it more likely that the Drysdale deal opens the spot needed for him to graduate next season. It also means the Ducks can just restock the pipeline with their first round pick this coming draft as they likely take a big two-way defender in what is being touted as a defense-heavy draft. The Drysdale trade (and injury to Pavol Mintyukov) also meant a Robert Hagg recall which likely stays somewhat permanent for the remainder of the season. This gives an opportunity for Tyson Hinds to step up and also a chance for Luca Profaca to get some AHL time, which he definitely made good use of in this game…

Profaca Progessing

When the Ducks gave Profaca a try out last season he initially read to me as a project in the Simon Benoit vein that was potentially worth following. In the stints I have seen him play over the last two years he hasn’t impressed me all that much but today’s game showed he has grown and developed his game a WHOLE lot this season. He was physical, his timing was perfect as was his gap control and he even showed some speed by going in on the forecheck on the odd occasion. He was the catalyst for the Gulls very important third period goal with the hit he laid. The kid played his best game of his professional career today and I hope that cut by the eye he seemed to sustain in the final minutes of the third does not put him out long if at all.

Its All Suchanek

If there was ever any doubt this game all but put paid to debate over who is or should be the Gulls number one goaltender moving forward. He has been by far and away the most consistent and locked in of the San Diego netminders and was only beat by tips and traffic today. Any initial stops that got by him were cleaned up by his defenders and you can tell the team puts on an extra effort for the young Czech. Given the Ducks recent trade and how well Dostal has played in the various absences of John Gibson you have to wonder if the long time Duck is finally going to be dealt, that would mean a roll on effect of goal-tending call-ups that might see Clang or Stalock up for the rest of the season. At this point I am not worried – so long as the Gulls have Suchanek they will be just fine.

Standings And Stats Update

This win brings the Gulls to 10-16-5 on the year but still leaves them at the bottom of the Pacific. They sit two points behind San Jose, four points behind Bakersfield and eight points back from the Eagles who hold the final playoff spot. If those Bakersfield games were to have gone ahead last weekend they might have made up those four points – although the Condors have been riding a five game winning streak. Instead the Gulls now face a back to back with the visiting Iowa Wild – who are on a five game skid, the perfect chance to get on a roll and claw back some points on the rest of their division rivals.

Andrew Agozzino is currently the team leader in scoring with 26 points in 31 games, recently named All-Star Olen Zellweger sits third with 22 in 30. Pavol Regenda still leads the team in goals and could not have come back at a better time. His physical presence was very much missed and you could see how much it helped in today’s win. The big Slovakian winger eased his way into the game slowly and looked sluggish and out of game shape at times but by games end was showing signs of getting right back to his dominant ways.