Gaucher’s Game Winner Powers Gulls Past Reign
Jan 31, 2026
By Ashley Rubin/SanDiegoGulls.com
The San Diego Gulls defeated their division-leading rival Ontario Reign in front of a sold-out crowd tonight at Pechanga Arena San Diego, 4-3.
The heroic efforts of Nathan Gaucher put the Gulls on top tonight as he found the game-winning goal with just 17.2 seconds left in the third period. Gaucher ended the night with two points as he picked up an assist just a few minutes earlier.
"I think one of the big things is the fans today were unbelievable," Gaucher said. "Getting a crowd like this is so fun and just gets the guys ready to go, ready to battle. We wanted to win this game really bad and between the second and the third, it was just the belief, and we knew we had more to give. So that's what we did."
San Diego has now finished their past two games with late goals that secured the win. The back-to-back wins give San Diego five points in their last three games and ties them for fifth place in the Pacific Division.
"We have so much character in our locker room, and we've seen so many different times this year where we've been down and come back and sealed the deal or forced overtime," head coach Matt McIlvane said. "We just knew that we were going to find a way today and I give the guys so much credit for gutting this one out."
Judd Caulfield got the action going for San Diego as he found the back of the net one minute and 24 seconds into the middle frame. The forward went on to pick up two assists, marking back-to-back multi-point games and 2-4=6 points logged in his last three games.
Defenseman Tyson Hinds also found himself a two-point night with a goal and assist logged. Hinds ended a 13-game point drought, logging his second goal and eighth assist of the season. His goal tied the game up in the third to keep the Gulls alive.
While Ontario had taken the lead back shortly after Hinds’ goal, it did not last long. Ryan Carpenter put one through off a backhanded pass from Tristan Luneau, tying the game right back up. The captain has found eight goals this season, two being scored in his past three games.
Nico Myatovic has extended a point streak to three games with 0-3=3 points logged. Myatovic has found an assist in each of his last three contests, marking his longest streak of the season.
The rivalry had gotten heated early as Travis Howe and Jacob Doty dropped the gloves less than three minutes into the opening frame. Howe leads all Gulls skaters in penalty minutes with 73 so far this season. Justin Bailey later picked up a double-minor for roughing after he stopped an Ontario breakaway.
Calle Clang once again showed off his goaltending skills, picking up his 10th win of the season after saving 16 of 19 shots.
"I think his best saves are in the second period," McIlvane said. "He had two slot line plays, and one of them got tipped out of the air, but he was unbelievable in the net today. I think he's established a really calm, solid game, and that he was able to give to us today."
Tonight marked the first time the Gulls competed in front of a sold-out crowd at Pechanga Arena San Diego this season. The crowd consisted of 12,920 fans, the most the arena has seen since last season’s final game.
San Diego will get back at it on Wednesday, Feb. 4 as they take on the Henderson Silver Knights at Pechanga Arena San Diego for their last game before the All-Star break.