2024-25 San Diego Gulls/Tulsa Oilers

[mightyquack]

And now 3-1 Gulls.

Hinds with a shot from the point, Nesterenko tips it onto the post, it bounces to Gaucher who slams it home into an open net. Was a great shift from the Nestrenko-Gaucher-Caufield line, well deserved.

I'd like to finish my breakfast please San Diego.

 

[mightyquack]

AHL official scorers must be drunk again, Colangelo given the assist for the Gaucher goal (despite having not been on the ice, so that's a pretty impressive assist).

Must be the same scorer who didn't give Gaucher an assist on Caufield's goal last game, despite him starting the breakout.

 

[Hockey Duckie]

AHL official scorers must be drunk again, Colangelo given the assist for the Gaucher goal (despite having not been on the ice, so that's a pretty impressive assist).

Must be the same scorer who didn't give Gaucher an assist on Caufield's goal last game, despite him starting the breakout.

The finally corrected the box score. Assists to Warren and Hinds. Guess Nester didn't tip it?

 

[mightyquack]

Kinal grabs the puck out of midair, then is given a penalty for not dropping the puck immediately.....that's some AHL officiating if I've ever seen it. A call that is never made at any half decent level of hockey.

 

[mightyquack]

The finally corrected the box score. Assists to Warren and Hinds. Guess Nester didn't tip it?

Nesterenko definitely tipped it, Hinds shot was going several feet wide of the net. Not sure how he's not being credited with the assist.

 

[mightyquack]

3-2 Gulls or maybe it's 3 Gulls, 1 Firebirds, 1 officials.

Shot from the point by Lajoie and a tip bny Firkus.

 

[mightyquack]

Oh Gaucher, what a miss there. Pasta steals the puck in the neutral zone after his pass to Gaucher got intercepted, beats the Firebirds defenceman round the outside (while being held) and plays a great backhand pass across the goal to Gaucher at the back post, Gaucher lofts it onto the bar and out. That would have been a huge goal for the Gulls.

 

[mightyquack]

3-2 Gulls after the 1st. Good first period by the Gulls, just a shame they got screwed by the officials near the end there.

Nestrenko-Gaucher-Caufield line has been the best line so far, been playing some good physical hockey and spending most of their time in the offensive zone.

Pasta, Carpenter and Colangelo also have had strong periods. I find it interesting that Pasta is the playmaker on his PP unit, really likes playing on the half wall and does a good job of it. Going to be interesting if he will be able to play a similar role at the NHL level or not.

 

[mightyquack]

3-3, goal by Robinson from the Gulls.

Kinal for some reason decides to throw the puck under no pressure straight up the boards to where two Firebirds players are, they play it across to Robinson who then uses Kinal as a screen and puts it past Dansk. Terrible defensive play by Kinal, completely unneeded too.

 

[Static]

Kinal should not be playing ahl minutes. A continuing failure of this management team is the absolute negligent handling of AHL depth.

 

[TheDarkWingThatDucks]

Kinal should not be playing ahl minutes. A continuing failure of this management team is the absolute negligent handling of AHL depth.

Is he a LHD ? Was the plan Rodwin to take his spot ?

 

[mightyquack]

Kinal should not be playing ahl minutes. A continuing failure of this management team is the absolute negligent handling of AHL depth.

Indeed, he's pretty terrible. reminds me of Logan Shaw in a way - big frame, yet plays the game like he's 5'5 and when you do notice him, it's usually because of a bad play. It's very frustrating how the Gulls have been handled under PV. No excuse for a handful of our contract spots to not be used on great AHL talent, and really no excuses for Samuelis to not open the chequebook for some great AHL talent that aren't on NHL contracts too.

San Jose are a terrible NHL team, but haven't been shy on recruiting some great AHL talent so that their young players down there aren't completely left on their own.

At least getting rid of Regenda for Bailey shows that maybe they realise they need some good AHL talent around the young players.

Is he a LHD ? Was the plan Rodwin to take his spot ?

He is a LHD, Dionicio had that spot (with some rotation with Kinal) before he was shipped off to Switzerland coupled with Heatherington not being as good as expected either, which leaves your LHD depth pretty grim.

 

[mightyquack]

3-3 after two periods, not too much happened that period outside of the goal really. Gulls playing a good game, but that Kinal mistake really took some of the wind out of their sails.

My favourite moment was when Dansk saved a shot that hit him in the logo, and then he turned his head and squeezed his arms to his body thinking it was trickling behind him, and the puck sat in the blue paint for about 5-8 seconds with no-one realising it because they were looking behind Dansk. Good stuff.

I still don't see it with the Gulls 4th line (Myatovic-Pitre-Lopina) either, they have been a bit more noticable, Myatovic had a decent shot off a Pitre pass, but their role is basically get the puck in deep or if already in the offensive zone, just cycle the puck until it's time to make a change. They don't really create much and they aren't relied on defensively either (Gaucher line gets the heavy defensive minutes) nor are they particuarly physical (Myatovic/Pitre don't have the body for that right now and Lopina is pretty anonymous) they just are sort of.......there. Falls back to our discussion recently about what is Myatovic/Pitre's role is, it just seems that none of the players on the line really have any sort of role.

 

[mightyquack]

4-3 Gulls on the first shift of the third period!

Gaucher line had some time in the offensive zone, Luneau plays it down low to Gaucher who plays a quick pass to Caufield in the slot who one times it into the net with Nesterenko being a good screen.

This line is really, really good. The fact they are starting to score is pretty fun.

 

[Static]

Gaucher sounds like an excellent role player. Exactly the type of guy we could use with our skill players.

 

[mightyquack]

Gaucher sounds like an excellent role player. Exactly the type of guy we could use with our skill players.

He's the type of player you win playoff series with, also he seems like an absolute leader on the ice. Not to mention everytime anyone takes any liberties he's the first one that is mixing it up with opposition players, he doesn't put up with any crap.

Maybe I'm overly optimistic but I'm looking forward to seeing him in the NHL, and I think he'll surprise a few people who just look at point totals and thinks he must suck. I said it before, but his physical play and defensive ability will be a nice breath of fresh air IMO, there's a reason he's trusted to play all key defensive situations for the Gulls.

 

[Hockey Duckie]

4-3 Gulls on the first shift of the third period!

Gaucher line had some time in the offensive zone, Luneau plays it down low to Gaucher who plays a quick pass to Caufield in the slot who one times it into the net with Nesterenko being a good screen.

This line is really, really good. The fact they are starting to score is pretty fun.

My mind keeps telling me to put any scoring winger with Guacher-Caulfield and the points will come. For the past two seasons, McIlvane loves separating Gaucher-Caulfield like Sommer and McIlvane had separated Tracey-Perreault after they had a great 2021-22 season.

 

[mightyquack]

My mind keeps telling me to put any scoring winger with Guacher-Caulfield and the points will come. For the past two seasons, McIlvane loves separating Gaucher-Caulfield like Sommer and McIlvane had separated Tracey-Perreault after they had a great 2021-22 season.

I'm hoping they stick with Nesterenko there, he's been the best fit there this season for me. Also I think Nesterenko playing on a checking line will do him some good to add more of that into his game, as that's how I think he'll be a long term NHL player.

I don't think McIlvane really separates Gaucher/Caufield THAT much, they had a run of about 8 games where they were, but they've played most of the season together.

 

[mightyquack]

Looks like Meyer isn't on the bench for the Gulls, another skill forward down. Not ideal.

Not sure how Firebirds didn't just score either, Dansk down and out and Firebirds hit the post from a couple of feet out. I guess they were feeling generous after the Gulls missed the open net at the end of the second period.

 

[Hockey Duckie]

I'm hoping they stick with Nesterenko there, he's been the best fit there this season for me. Also I think Nesterenko playing on a checking line will do him some good to add more of that into his game, as that's how I think he'll be a long term NHL player.

I don't think McIlvane really separates Gaucher/Caufield THAT much, they had a run of about 8 games where they were, but they've played most of the season together.

The question is why would they be separated at all. I'm a big fan of finding chemistry pairs. I guess the org has to try players differently, but Guacher-Caulfield have had great chemistry since last season.

 

[mightyquack]

5-3 Gulls, Nesterenko scores the EN off a pass by Mysak.

Gaucher was missing off the Caufield/Nesterenko line on that last shift, went down awkwardly his shift previous, so hopefully he's ok.

 

[mightyquack]

5-3 Gulls, Nesterenko scores the EN off a pass by Mysak.

Gaucher was missing off the Caufield/Nesterenko line on that last shift, went down awkwardly his shift previous, so hopefully he's ok.

Gaucher back out there with Bailey and Carpenter with a minute to go in the game. Looks like they want him out there with another line at end of the game to win the faceoff.

 

[mightyquack]

Gulls win 5-3, three wins in the last four for the Gulls. First ever regulation win on the road against the Firebirds too.

1st star: Gaucher
2nd star: Caufield
3rd star: Firkus

Nesterenko-Gaucher-Caufield easily the best line of the night for the Gulls. Think I have raved about them enough, so I won't go into it again. But they continue to be seriously impressive, happy they got some reward on the scoreboard too.

Bailey was really noticeable for the Gulls too, just does all the little things you want from a veteran forward (gets puck in deep, gets in on the forecheck, rarely gives the puck away stupidly) and generated quite a few scoring chances.

Dansk was solid in net, but got lucky bounces a couple of times while he was swimming.

Hinds-Warren continue to be pretty solid defensively too, basically play as a shutdown pairing. Defense first, physical hockey. Everytime Firebirds came into the Gulls zone with them on the ice, they'd be paying a physical price for doing so. Felt like they won the vast majority of their puck battles along the boards too.

 

[Static]

Gaucher names first star of the game.

 

[robbieboy3686]

I posted this back in mid January and it still applies now IMO.


I'd be very surprised if he doesn't make the opening night roster to be honest.

His defensive play is pretty fantastic, there's a reason he's put out heavily on the PK and in key situations. His play in the defensive and neutral zone is fantastic, it's the offensive zone where there is struggles as he's not great with generating chances with the puck on his stick. On the flipside, as I said above, his forechecking and physical play is really good which opens up opportunities for his linemates which has been the case when Sidorov was on their line earlier in the season, and more recently Myatovic. Both Sidorov and Myatovic have have had their best production on the Gaucher-Caufield line opposed to away from it so far this season.

It just depends what your expectations are for Gaucher. Are you expecting a middle 6 forward to chip in 15-20 goals a season? I'm not sure Gaucher has that in him. But I can see him as an excellent defensive forward that can chip in 10 goals a season while being the #1 defensive forward on the team and being a heavy physical presence.

+/- isn't a fantastic stat but when you consider how terrible the Gulls are at ES (93 scored v 121 conceded) and Gaucher has 8 points yet is only a -3...he's been pretty damn good at not being on the ice when goals go in.

I think Gaucher will be a nice change of pace from our extremely soft 4th liners of recent years and will provide some good defensive value in our bottom 6.

(I'm not going to get in whether Gaucher was worth the pick or not, just my opinions on where he slots in).

Gauch sounds like a meaner more skilled Lundestrom. Lundestrom finally doesn’t have a future on the ducks ( which is great) vanilla players like him need to be replaced