Gulls Ready for Duel with Stars
Feb 27, 2024By Nick Aguilera/SanDiegoGulls.com
For the first time since 2019, the San Diego Gulls have their boots on the ground in Austin to face the Texas Stars tonight at H-E-B Center (5 p.m. PST; TV: AHL TV; Radio: Gulls Audio Network).
Tonight’s matchup will be an offensive showcase led by the Gulls’ Olen Zellweger and the Stars’ Mavrik Bourque. Zellweger has been one of the most dynamic blueliners in the league, leading all AHL defensemen in power-play points (5-13=18) and power-play goals, while pacing AHL rookie d-men in points (11-24=35). Bourque is building an MVP case in his second full pro season, co-leading all AHL skaters in points (17-40=57) alongside teammate Logan Stankoven (24-33=57), who is currently up with the Dallas Stars.
A Texas road trip is coming at the right time for the Gulls, who have dropped four straight games, including three at home. The Gulls have been road warriors this season and have earned points in six straight road contests (4-0-2-0). They’ve had great success in Central Division buildings, winning six of eight road games (6-1-1-0).
"I think it's some adversity," Zellweger said. "Some people might panic or get anxious because of what happened earlier in the year, but I believe that we're not that same team anymore. We’re able to break out of this and we're going to find a way to get it done really soon.
"It's going to come down to how bad we want to really compete and push for an opportunity at the playoffs and that's going to start on this road trip."
The last time San Diego visited Texas the Gulls earned a 4-1 win over the Stars on Jan. 29, 2019. That game saw plenty of NHL talent on display, including Anaheim Ducks forwards Troy Terry and Sam Carrick, as well as Dallas Stars star centerman Roope Hintz and NHL veteran Denis Gurianov. With the next generation in town, the Gulls are looking to repeat the success they saw over five years later.
This time around, the Gulls will have to wary of the high-powered Stars offense which has scored the third-highest goals per game in the AHL (3.45) and rank third in power-play percentage (22.0%).
Tomas Suchanek will likely get the nod in net after getting the night off on Saturday. Suchanek has had some bad luck lately being on the wrong end of back-to-back one-goal games. Despite the losses, he still ranks tied for second among all AHL goaltenders in save percentage (.927) and ninth in goals-against average (2.34).
The Gulls will run it back against Texas tomorrow in the third game of their four-game season series (5 p.m. PST).