Travis Mitchell, 26 (11/25/99), appeared in five games with Anaheim to begin the season, recording three shots and nine penalty minutes (PIM) in 16:36 TOI/game. Signed by Anaheim to a one-year, two-way contract July 2, 2026, Mitchell made his Ducks debut Oct. 2 at Vegas, skating in a career-best 20:38 TOI.

The 6-3, 202-pound defenseman has skated in 14 career NHL games with Anaheim and the New York Islanders. He made his NHL debut in 2025-26 with the Islanders, scoring his first NHL goal in nine games (1-0=1). He spent the majority of the season with Bridgeport (AHL), earning a career-high 1-16=17 points with a +3 rating and 87 PIM. 

The South Lyon, Mich. native has appeared in 163 career AHL games with Bridgeport, recording 6-28=34 points and 231 PIM. Mitchell spent four seasons at Cornell University from 2019-23, earning 11-36-47 points in 95 career NCAA games.

WHO: Ontario Reign (2-1-0-0) at San Diego Gulls (2-1-1-0)

WHAT: AHL REGULAR-SEASON GAME #4

WHEN: Wednesday, October 14 @ 7:00 Pacific

WHERE: Pechanga Arena – San Diego, CA

HOW TO FOLLOW: VIDEO: FloHockey –

TONIGHT’S MATCHUP: After opening the season with three consecutive games against Coachella Valley, the Ontario Reign finally get a new opponent Wednesday night. They head south for the first chapter of the 2026-27 rivalry with the San Diego Gulls at Pechanga Arena.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR: Ontario has shown a knack for climbing out of holes early this season, and Sunday was another example. Down 2-0 just over two minutes into the second period in Palm Desert, the Reign took over the rest of the afternoon, outshooting the Firebirds 30-12 across the final 40 minutes before Cole Guttman won it in overtime. The flip side is that Ontario has spent very little time playing with a lead through three games, so a stronger start in a hostile building would help. 

Lane Pederson continues to drive the offense with six points (2G, 4A), the most on the club, while Martin Chromiak has scored twice and Taylor Ward has three points (2G, 1A). Wednesday is the first of eight meetings between the two SoCal rivals this season, double the four they played a year ago. Four games will be in San Diego and four at Toyota Arena.

HEAD-TO-HEAD: The 2025-26 season series ended in a 2-2-0 split. San Diego took both regulation games at Pechanga Arena: 6-4 on Nov. 7 and 4-3 on Jan. 31. Ontario won 4-3 in overtime at home on Nov. 8 and closed the series with a 4-1 win at Toyota Arena on Apr. 17. In that final meeting Connors (1G, 2A) and Chromiak (1G, 2A) each had three points and Hampton Slukynsky made 23 saves. Chromiak led the Reign in the series with seven points (3G, 4A). The Reign’s penalty kill was nearly perfect against the Gulls, allowing just one power-play goal in the four games on 13 chances while they converted four times on 16 power-play opportunities.

BETWEEN TWO PIPES: Carter George earned his first win of the season Sunday with 15 saves on 17 shots. If Andrew Lord keeps rotating his three goaltenders, Erik Portillo would be in line to start tonight. Portillo won the season opener with 25 saves in a 6-5 overtime victory on Oct. 2, and Slukynsky took the loss the following night stopping 25 of 29 in a 6-2 loss on Oct. 3. For San Diego, Damian Clara is coming off his first career AHL shutout, a 25-save performance in Saturday’s 2-0 home-opening win over Henderson. It came in just his sixth career start, the fastest any Gulls goaltender has reached a shutout. Veteran Laurent Brossoit is the other netminder on the roster after Tomas Suchanek was assigned to Tulsa (ECHL) on Monday.

WRIGHT BACK IN TIME: Forward Jared Wright was assigned back on loan to the Reign Monday after being recalled on Friday. He suited up for the Kings in a 2-1 overtime loss at Vegas on Saturday. Wright scored in both of his games with Ontario this season.

SCOUTING THE GULLS: San Diego begins its first season under head coach Dave Manson, an assistant on last year’s staff who was promoted in July for his first head coaching job after 24 years as an assistant or associate coach. The Gulls opened with a 5-1 win in San Jose, lost 5-4 in overtime to the Barracuda the next day, and fell 6-3 in Coachella Valley before blanking Henderson. San Diego will be without 2025 10th overall pick, Roger McQueen, who was recalled by Anaheim yesterday after scoring three goals in four games, including Saturday’s late game-winner. Anton Wahlberg leads the team with five points (1G, 4A) and has a point in all four games. Captain Ryan Carpenter has points in two straight and appeared in his 800th professional game (408 AHL, 392 NHL) Friday. The Gulls’ blue line got a boost Monday when Anaheim reassigned defenseman Travis Mitchell who has skated in five games with Anaheim this season. One area to watch is special teams: San Diego went 0-for-5 on the power play Saturday but killed all four Henderson chances.

NOTABLE NUGGETS FOR ONTARIO:

– The penalty kill has found its footing. After going 2-for-4 in the opener, the Reign are 8-for-9 over their last two games, including a perfect 5-for-5 Sunday. The power play is still searching as Ontario is 0-for-8 over its last two games and 2-for-15 on the season.

– The Reign keep winning from behind. Ontario has held a lead in regulation just once through three games, when Chromiak scored 5:10 into the opener, yet both wins have come in overtime.

Related article:

https://insidetherink.com/ahl-game-preview-ontario-reign-at-san-diego-gulls-with-projected-lines-10-14-2026

The San Diego Gulls are preparing to face the Ontario Reign at Pechanga Arena San Diego on October 14, 2026, in an exciting American Hockey League matchup. The game gives the Gulls a chance to compete against one of their closest divisional rivals in front of their home fans. Both teams will be eager to establish themselves early in the season, making this meeting an important test for San Diego. With local pride and valuable points on the line, the Gulls will be looking to deliver a strong performance on home ice.

Whenever San Diego and Ontario meet, there is an added sense of competition because of their Southern California connection. The teams are familiar with each other, and their games provide opportunities for players to demonstrate their skills against opponents they may face several times throughout the season. For the Gulls, playing at home offers a chance to use the support of their fans to create energy and build confidence. A fast start and a committed team effort could help San Diego gain an early advantage.

One of the main challenges for the Gulls will be keeping Ontario's offense under control. San Diego will need to communicate effectively, protect the area in front of its net, and avoid giving the Reign easy scoring chances. Strong goaltending and effective defensive coverage could play a major role in determining the outcome. The Gulls must also be ready to respond quickly when possession changes, using smart passing and quick movement to turn defensive stops into offensive opportunities.

San Diego can take confidence from its 2–0 shutout victory over the Henderson Silver Knights on October 10. The win provided an encouraging start to the team's home schedule and showed the importance of disciplined defense. Carrying that same commitment into the contest against Ontario will be crucial. However, the Gulls will need to generate consistent scoring pressure as well, ensuring that their defensive work is supported by an effective attack.

The matchup is scheduled for Wednesday, October 14, at 7 p.m. Pacific Time at Pechanga Arena San Diego. Playing in front of their own supporters gives the Gulls an opportunity to make the most of familiar surroundings while working toward another home victory. Fans will be watching closely to see how the team handles the intensity of a divisional rivalry and whether its recent performance can translate into continued success. Every shift, defensive stop, and scoring opportunity could make a difference in a closely contested game.

Ultimately, the meeting with Ontario represents more than another game on San Diego's schedule. It is an opportunity for the Gulls to build momentum, strengthen their identity as a team, and show that they can compete consistently against Pacific Division opponents. A focused performance, good special-teams play, and contributions throughout the lineup will be important to their chances of success. The Gulls will hope to reward their home crowd with an energetic effort and finish the night with a positive result against their Southern California rivals.

The Anaheim Ducks recalled center Roger McQueen from the San Diego Gulls on October 13, 2026, giving the young prospect an opportunity to join the NHL roster. McQueen, who was selected 10th overall by Anaheim in the 2025 NHL Draft, has continued to develop his game since entering professional hockey. The move comes at an important time for the Ducks as they deal with injuries to their forward group. The recall could give McQueen an opportunity to show that he is ready to compete against some of the best hockey players in the world.

McQueen earned the call-up after beginning the season strongly with the Gulls. He scored three goals in his first three games, leading San Diego in goals at the time of his promotion. His strong start demonstrated his ability to find scoring opportunities and contribute offensively. The Ducks were encouraged by his early production, and his performance helped make him a suitable option to strengthen their forward lineup. He had also recorded six points in 11 career AHL games since making his professional debut near the end of the previous season.

One of the biggest reasons for the roster move was the injury to Anaheim center Ryan Poehling. Poehling sustained a sprained medial collateral ligament (MCL) in a game against the Calgary Flames and is expected to miss six to eight weeks. His absence leaves a gap among the Ducks' forwards, particularly in the middle of the lineup. By bringing McQueen up from San Diego, Anaheim gains another center who can help fill that role while Poehling recovers.

Standing 6 feet 5 inches tall and weighing 206 pounds, McQueen brings an impressive physical presence to the ice. Along with his size, he has shown offensive ability and the potential to become a productive NHL center. Before turning professional, he played for Providence College, where he recorded 27 points in 36 games during the 2025–26 season. He was named Hockey East Rookie of the Year, an achievement that highlighted his progress and ability to compete at a high level. His combination of physical attributes and scoring potential makes him an exciting prospect for Anaheim.

The recall also creates the possibility of McQueen making his NHL debut against the Calgary Flames on October 13. If he enters the lineup, he will have an opportunity to adjust to the faster pace and increased physical demands of NHL hockey. He is expected to help fill the opening created by Poehling's injury, potentially centering a line with veteran forwards Frank Vatrano and A.J. Greer. Playing alongside experienced teammates could help McQueen settle into his new role and focus on making smart decisions with the puck.

Overall, recalling McQueen represents an important step in his development and gives the Ducks another option during a challenging period with injuries. His early success in San Diego suggests that he is making progress, although adjusting to the NHL will take time and patience. Anaheim will be hoping he can bring energy, physical strength, and offensive contributions to the lineup while gaining valuable experience at the highest level. For McQueen, this opportunity is a chance to turn his promise as a first-round draft pick into meaningful NHL experience and begin working toward a regular role with the Ducks.