2024-2025 Game 67: San Diego Gulls at Iowa Wild

Des Moines, Iowa. After a disappointing loss to the Canucks after surrendering a one goal lead in the third and then dropping another one in a lifeless performance in Iowa on Friday night the Gulls hoped to turn things around with the return of an important scorer to their lineup.

With Sasha Pastujov returning from injury the Gulls finally returned to the traditional 12-6 format meaning Noah Warren was forced to sit on defense. As I predicted – Pastujov slotted right back into the second line alongside frequent collaborator Jan Mysak. It was Lindmark that was dropped to the fourth line and Couldon Pitre was asked to play center on a new look third line with Carsen Twarynski and Yegor Sidorov.

With Ville Husso recalled and Oscar Dansk either injured or unwell. Coach McIlvane gave the Italian born goaltender his first AHL start with the recently recalled Buteyets backing up.

The injury list shrunk by one as Pastujov returned to the line-up, leaving Jaxen Wiebe as the only other potential who could return this season with Carson Meyer and Nathan Gaucher ruled out for the year and Calle Clang and Tomas Suchanek unlikely to make it back before seasons end.

First Period:

San Diego held possession for much of the most eight minutes or so – earning themselves a Power Play as Justin Bailey was hooked trying to enter the Iowa zone with speed. The first unit created some chances down low but also gave up a shorthanded break that Tristan Luneau had to tidy up as Stian Solberg did not read how close the attacker was to him before sending a pass across.

As play returned to five on five the Gulls kept up the attack with the Pastujov line coming close on a goal mouth scramble but the first year Iowa goaltender star-fished and covered the puck before any of the Gulls forwards could get to it.

With under six minutes left in the period Josh Lopina was called for tripping on a play that would have seen a three on one opportunity for the Gulls had he legally forced the turnover. With Iowa winning the offensive zone face-off the Gulls penalty kill unit gave the leagues worst Power Play way too much respect and although they kept passing to the perimeter – they also gifted them a five on three man advantage as Dillon Heatherington was called for holding in front of the net. San Diego were able to erase both the five on three and following five on four disadvantages but as the period closed in on the final minute another penalty to the Gulls proved one too many. The Wild’s Graeme Clarke deeking his way into the zone and by the Gulls defenders, through the crease and then sending the puck off of Clara as he lay prone to give the Wild a 1-0 lead just as time expired on the period.

San Diego playing well to start but getting into penalty trouble and giving one up against the grain to be behind by one heading into the first intermission. Shots were 7-5 for the Gulls after the first twenty minutes.

Second Period: Iowa Wild 1 – San Diego Gulls 0

San Diego came out with a bigger physical game to start the second, finishing checks and trying to force turnovers but they failed to generate any real momentum from the tactic as the Wild continued about their transition game.

The home team doubling their lead on a seemingly nothing play as the Gulls had all of their defensive assignments locked up but a shot still managing to make it through Clara’s five-hole. 2-0 Wild.

San Diego did not give up and kept up their offensive push – holding the Iowa zone and generating chances via the Pastujov line as well as the top line but the Iowa goaltender continued to frustrate their attempts at getting on the board.

With under seven minutes remaining in the period the Gulls were given a life line when the Wild were called for a too many men infraction. Which was then quickly nullified by a mid-ice collision that featured Sasha Pastujov who was called for interference for the simple grievance of skating the same lane as an Iowa player.

San Diego killed the short minor after the short four on four sequence and once again began the search to get one on the board but again fell behind as Dillon Heatherington lost his helmet in a board battle and immediately had to skate off which left a man open. 3-0 Wild.

Frustrations boiled over as time expired on the period in the Iowa zone and an after whistle scuffle was swiftly separated before things got too out of hand. The Gulls looking lost as they went to the second intermission down 3-0 – trailing in shots 12-10 on the period to be even 17-17 overall.

Third Period: Iowa Wild 3 – San Diego Gulls 0

It was a ho-hum start to the third and time flew by on the final frame and likely final Gulls chance to save their season.

Another post whistle scrum featuring the fourth line saw a brief four on four sequence just before the midway point but the Wild goaltender remained a stone wall as the Gulls could not surprise him enough to create a rebound nor find the space to sweep one around him.

Justin Bailey tried to create his own chance and did but like other Gulls had before him – looked off the pass and took the shot himself with bodies around the net. Like everything else in this game and the one before – the puck was blocked and did not fall to a San Diego stick.

Another Gulls penalty sent the Wild to the Power Play with just under nine minutes left and as the Gulls erased the minor they went right back to sleep-walking through the final minutes of the game – trying to create chances in the Iowa zone but never really looking likely or hungry enough.

As play returned for the final five minutes after the last TV time-out of the game, the Gulls had pulled Clara for the extra attacker and San Diego finally got on the board as a puck bounced to Roland McKeown in the high slot who quickly sent it by the Wild goaltender. 3-1 Wild.

Roland McKeown just made Gulls AHL history!

This goal gives him sole possession of most goals in a season for a Gulls AHL defenseman!#LetsGoGulls | #SDvsIA pic.twitter.com/rciZHprMr9

— San Diego Gulls (@SDGullsAHL) April 6, 2025

Iowa hit right back – as a loose puck was found and jumped on by a streaking Iowa forward who beat Clara all in one motion. 4-1 Wild.

San Diego pulled Clara again after the goal and the Wild punished them on a dump in to make it 5-1.

The Wild’s pest Luke Toporowski laid a hard hit on Sasha Pastujov that saw the Gulls recently injured forward struggle but did skate to the bench under his own power and Travis Howe tracked the Wild’s most hated forward but could not get to him after the final whistle sounded and Officials intervened.

San Diego emerging from Iowa with another two losses that essentially extinguished any playoff hopes they still had left.

Post Game Notes:

Clara First Look

My first real look at Clara in net and I (once again) got Stolarz vibes. He is tall, very tall and athletic – quick to get the leg pads outstretched but also raw. He wasn’t so quick to get back in position after getting down early but his sheer size is a factor on most shots he faced with the opposition needing to pick a corner or try to out-wait him in order to get it by him. His game suffered some confidence issues after initially going down and you could see he possibly over committed on some opportunities.

My initial write up after he was drafted had me skeptical about his selection being made in the second round and in comparison to Buteyets the fact he has looked so-so in his first two games of AHL action as opposed to outright exposed goes to show his development curve is ahead of the Ducks later 2022 selection selected out of Russia. As mentioned on the broadcast he is likely hoping to backstop Italy to some respectable showings at the upcoming 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and could potentially be hoping to be coming across to hone his Norther American game sooner than expected because of that.

Five Games Left

Well that does it for the season – they could have jumped within three points of Tucson but instead fell behind by seven and potentially now nine if the Roadrunners manage to beat Bakersfield again tonight. I do feel as betrayed and baffled as most Gulls fans by the Husso call-up given the Ducks could have recalled Dansk to give San Diego a chance but that is the reality of an affiliation club and we have always known that. The needs of the parent club come first – even if they are already eliminated from contention. There really isn’t that much more to look forward to except for…

Ready For The Revenge Match

With Pastujov finally returning to the line-up it confirms that he will be in the line-up for a revenge match against the goon squad that injured him – the Coachella Valley Firebirds. If nothing else – I am looking forward to seeing this game for the potential fireworks. The Firebirds are one magic number away from clinching a playoff spot so there is no way the Gulls can spoil that party but they could do unto Firebirds as they had unto them – if you catch my biblical drift. The Gulls head to Coachella next weekend.