After two straight losses against the Toronto Marlies on Oct. 12 and 13 to open the 2024-2025 American Hockey League season, the San Diego Gulls aimed to win their first game in their home opener against the reigning Western Conference Champion Coachella Valley Firebirds.
In front of 9,267 fans packed in Pechanga Arena, the Gulls almost made a miraculous comeback, as they were down 6-1 after two periods. However, it fell just short, as they lost 6-5.
The Firebirds opened the scoring with a goal from forward Jacob Melanson 9:16 into the first period on a snapshot that just got over the glove hand of Gulls goalie Oscar Dansk. Two and a half minutes later, Firebird forward Eduard Sale got another puck past Dansk after a chaotic scramble in front of the net, doubling the lead.
Before the Gulls knew it, the Firebirds got a third goal past Dansk to take an early 3-0 lead from a goal by Ben Myers in yet another front-net scramble.
Gulls defenseman Rolan McKeown, who was named assistant captain of the team Friday morning, scored his first goal of the season in a powerful shot that got past Firebird goalie Nikke Kokko with just under two minutes left in the first period.
The second period was not much better for the Gulls, as the Firebirds scored three goals, all from defenseman Cale Fleury to get the hat trick. Following Fleury’s second goal, which was on the power play, Gulls head coach Matt McIlvane pulled Dansk and replaced him with today’s backup Calle Clang. Dansk finished the night with 25 saves on 30 shots.
After a lackluster first two periods, the Gulls offense finally awoke, as forward Sam Colangelo scored five minutes into the third period. Newly appointed captain forward Ryan Carpenter also scored to cut the Firebirds’ lead to 6-3.
The Gulls then scored twice in 40 seconds, with goals from McKeown and Colangelo to cut the deficit to 6-5. However, the offense ran out of gas, falling short at the final buzzer.
“We got out of our zone fast and gave ourselves a chance,” McIlvane said to reporters. “That gives us a little something to cling on to. But, too little too late, not enough early.”
Clang finished with seven saves on eight shots in relief, while Kokko had 30 saves on 35 shots.
Following the loss, the Gulls drop to 0-3 while the Firebirds move to 1-2.
San Diego aims to bounce back in an away game against the 2-0 Bakersfield Condors on Oct. 19 at 7 p.m. to open a five-game road trip.
