The San Diego Gulls Foundation continues to support community endeavors as the community continues to support the American Hockey League franchise.
The Gulls hosted Gulls Night at Rady Children’s Hospital Ice Rink at Liberty Station on Monday to raise funds and awareness for the Thriving After Cancer Program at the Peckham Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders. Fans were invited to join an evening of skating and holiday fun with Gulls players and coaches.
The San Diego Gulls Foundation provided a donation of $35,000 in its fifth year involved with the rink. Since its inception in 2017, the foundation has raised more than $229,000 to support Rady Children’s Hospital.
The Gulls are hosting Hockey Fights Cancer Night on Feb. 24 and Disability Awareness Night on Mar. 6.
Teddy bear toss
As evenings start to chill shortly before sundown now, winter is right around the corner and the holiday season is upon us. After all, it’s hockey weather.
The Gulls will host their annual Winter Wonderland on Saturday, Dec. 16, at Pechanga Arena. Included in the event is a pre-game tailgate (4 to 5:30 p.m.) with real snow, live reindeer, food truck vendors and an appearance by Santa and Mrs. Claus.
Highlighting the evening will be the Gulls’ annual Teddy Bear Toss to benefit patients at Rady Children’s Hospital. Fans are encouraged to bring a plastic wrapped plush toy and toss it onto the ice upon the Gulls’ first goal in the game. A Hawaiian shirt giveaway also is on tap.
Game time is 6 p.m. against the Henderson Silver Knights.
Southern exposure
The Gulls hosted a street hockey clinic in partnership with the Border View Family YMCA on Oct. 18 in advance of the AHL team’s season home opener on Oct. 20. The Gulls set up a full-size street hockey rink and provided equipment for participants from the youth center, which has been serving the Chula Vista-San Ysidro area since 1984 (and re-opened in 2022 after the COVID pandemic).
Participants received coaching from the Gulls staff and got to interact with coaches and players.
The event also included Gulls giveaways, tailgate games and a slapshot booth along the exterior for family members and those waiting to participate.
As a surprise bonus, at the end of the clinic participants were invited to attend the team’s home opener.
Bringing hockey to the border region continued the sport’s recent push for inclusion and diversity. The Gulls introduced what for many youngsters already familiar with soccer and baseball was a new sport, especially for first generation Americans.
Director Ayarim DeAnda called the event an “amazing opportunity” for members to gain exposure to a new sport.
“Our kiddos in this service area probably don’t get to play hockey because hockey can be an expensive sport, so for us to have an opportunity to have a free clinic, we love to share it with our community because kids deserve to play and have all the opportunities to play a new sport.
“This is pretty life-changing for them. I don’t think they realized when they got here that there would be actual players that they’ll get to see at an actual game or on their local sports channel. They’re going to be able to look back on this experience and say they got to learn some cool hockey stuff from an actual pro hockey player. This is an opportunity that will stay with them for a really long time.”
A hockey stick, what’s that for?
What’s that hard rubber biscuit? How do you hit it?
After encouragement from Gulls players Nathan Gaucher, Calle Clang and Pavol Regenda, and head coach Matt McIlvane, the kids had their questions answered and began scurrying around the rink with youthful energy and enthusiasm.
McIlvane called it a “neat” event.
“A lot of kids got to experience hockey for the very first time and it was so fun to see all the smiles, all the laughter. These kids had a great time.
“There was a little apprehension at first, everyone has to tip-toe into the water, but that game at the end, it was intense. The kids had just a blast. It was awesome.”
“It was really fun,” Gaucher concurred. “For most of these kids, it was their first time playing hockey, learning how to hold a stick, hit a ball, hit a slapshot, make some passes. It was good to see the chemistry, kids getting to know each other.
“It’s so fun for them to learn and we want them learn the game. It’s fun just growing the game of hockey.
“As soon as we got down to basic stuff, passing drills, stick-handling, they got comfortable and started chasing the ball around the rink. It reminded me of when I was growing up playing hockey.
“It’s awesome just to know that we’re out here for them to get to know the San Diego Gulls, get to know a hockey team they can follow. They can love the sport of hockey. Sometimes you can just go out and practice, but if you go to a game is a different vibe. It’s fun for them to get to know the San Diego Gulls.”
Hot on ice
The Gulls returned from their five-game road trip through the Midwest (two games in Chicago, one in Milwaukee and two more in Rockford) with a 4-1 record and have now earned standings points in six of their last seven games (5-1-1-0) after snapping a nagging 13-game winless streak (0-10-3).
Goaltender Tomas Suchanek, 20, earned the AHL Player of the Week award after going 3-0-0 on the road trip with a 1.00 goals-against average and 0.961 save percentage in three starts. He became the youngest Gulls netminder to record a shutout following last Friday’s 7-0 whitewashing in Rockford. He is 4-0-1 on the season with a 1.99 GAA and 0.926 save percentage.
