Thanks to a recent scoring binge, the San Diego Gulls are getting hot at the right time.
The Gulls totaled 21 goals over a five-game stretch that saw the team win four of five. The club enters a two-game weekend set at last-place Abbotsford on a three-game winning streak.
With 10 regular-season games remaining, the Gulls (29-21-8-4, 40 points) are three points up on eighth-place Tucson and poised to snap a four-season AHL playoff drought.
Leading the charge is forward Nathan Gaucher, who netted his first career hat trick in Sunday’s 5-4 home win over Calgary. He has four goals and two assists in the last four games and enters Friday’s 7 p.m. game with a career-high 12 goals on the season.
The Gulls will be without forward Sam Colangelo (10 goals, eight assists) this weekend as he serves a two-game suspension. Colangelo was whistled for cross-checking in Sunday’s win.
Sockers face weekend test
Playoff seeding will be on the line this weekend, when the San Diego Sockers (14-6-2) close the regular season with two games against the Kansas City Comets (12-6-4). The teams will play Friday night in Kansas City before returning to Oceanside for a 3 p.m. Sunday game.
The Sockers sit third in the MASL standings and could finish anywhere between first and fifth, depending upon the weekend’s outcomes involving several teams.
Sunday’s match is “Fan Appreciation Night” and will honor longtime star Kraig Chiles, who is retiring after the season. A limited number of Chiles replica game jerseys will be given away prior to kickoff.
Mojo hit All-Star Break
The San Diego Mojo (8-10) defeated Omaha 3-1 at Viejas Arena on Wednesday night and are off until visiting Columbus on April 4.
Libero Shara Venegas and setter Marlie Monseraz will play in Saturday’s Major League Volleyball All-Star Game. The 9 a.m. match will air on CBS-8 and stream on Paramount +.
Strike Force visit Rattlers
The San Diego Strike Force opened the new Indoor Football League season with a 42-40 home win over the NAZ Wranglers on Monday. They visit the Arizona Rattlers (0-0) at 2 p.m. Saturday.
Clippers playoff hunt
The G-League’s San Diego Clippers (17-17) close the regular season with a pair of home games against the Stockton Kings (22-12) at Frontwave Arena. Friday’s game tips off at 7:30 p.m., with Saturday’s game set for 7 p.m.
The Clippers are a half-game out of the eighth and final Western Conference playoff spot, trailing Rip City (18-17). They trail sixth-place Sioux Falls (18-16) by one game.
Rip City closes the regular season Friday at Austin, while Sioux Falls finishes Saturday at South Bay.
Tiebreakers could determine which teams qualify for the playoffs, which begin on Tuesday.
Seals off
The San Diego Seals (6-8) are off this weekend and licking their wounds following a crushing 9-8 home loss to Buffalo on Saturday.
The Seals led 8-4 with 5:54 to play, but fell apart en route to a fourth straight loss.
The Seals sit ninth in the 14-team National Lacrosse League standings with four games remaining. The top eight teams qualify for the NLL playoffs.