A burst water main inside Pechanga Arena has forced postponements of this weekend’s Gulls and Sockers games.
The Gulls were scheduled to play Bakersfield on Friday and Saturday nights, while the Sockers had a Sunday evening game scheduled against the Texas Outlaws. Both teams are longtime tenants of the Midway-area arena.
The American Hockey League said Friday morning that the water main break “significantly affected the event level of the arena.” Information on the Gulls’ rescheduled games will be released in the coming days, the league said. The Sockers said more details would be announced “at a later date.”
The break is an unlucky one for the Gulls (9-16-5, 23 points), who were set to open a five-game homestand on Friday night before embarking on a two-week road trip. The club’s next scheduled game is now Wednesday against Coachella Valley. The Gulls also have games scheduled for Jan. 12 and 13 against the Iowa Wild; Jan. 13 is “Country Night,” with fans receiving a free Chase De Leo bobblehead.
The Sockers are 5-0 and in first place in the MASL’s Western Division; their next home match is scheduled for Jan. 14 against the third-place Chihuahua Savage.
Opened in 1966 as the San Diego Sports Arena, Pechanga Arena has been home to the Gulls and Sockers for decades. The Sockers are playing their final season there before moving to Oceanside.
