By: Annie Nadin
The Wranglers open a road tilt against the San Diego Gulls looking to rebound after a narrow 1-0 loss to the Bakersfield Condors on March 21.
The Wranglers had their chances in Bakersfield, earning seven powerplay opportunities, but the man advantage couldn’t break through, a key factor in a low-scoring contest where offence was hard to come by.
The Matchup
Now, it’s a fresh test at Pechanga Arena.
Calgary holds the edge in the season series at 2-0-1-0, with the most recent meetings in December.
The clubs split a back-to-back set, with Calgary dropping a 4-3 overtime decision on Dec. 19 before responding with a 2-1 win Dec. 21.
Notably, the Wranglers were heavily outshot in that victory, 53-20.
The December win featured goals from Martin Frk and Matvei Gridin, but neither will be in the line-up this time around.
Gridin has since been recalled by the Calgary Flames, while Frk remains in Calgary awaiting the birth of his child.
The Wranglers will also be without key contributor Rory Kerins, forward Lucas Ciona, and defeceman Nick Cicek due to injury, leaving the roster with a different look heading into this matchup.
One new face to watch is defenceman Chase Pauls, who made his Wranglers debut on March 21 following a recall from ECHL affiliate Rapid City Rush on March 20.
Pauls has recorded 20 points (3G, 17A) through 58 games this season with the Rush, including a three-assist outing on Mar. 12.
The Other Side
The Gulls enter the contest sitting seventh in the Pacific Division, currently holding the final playoff spot.
With the postseason race tightening, every point carries weight, not just to maintain their position, but to potentially climb the standings and secure home-ice advantage.
San Diego is coming off a high-scoring 7-4 win over Bakersfield on March 20, powered by multi-point efforts from Matthew Phillips (1G, 1A), Nathan Gaucher (2A), and Sam Colangelo (2A).
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