San Diego Sabers’ 2024-2025 USPHL Pacific Division Regular Season Recap

The San Diego Sabers found themselves trailing and fighting hard to secure a place in the playoffs as they are currently in fifth place of the USPHL Pacific Division standings with 47 points and a season record of 23-21-1-0. Their 23 wins consisted of one shootout win, an overtime win, a shutout, and one double-digit win. The longest winning streak that the Sabers maintained during the regular season was a five-game winning streak which started during the week of Oct. 22 - 27, 2024 and ended when they faced the Bakersfield Roughnecks during the week of Nov. 11 - 17, 2024. 

PP & PK Success Rate and Top Scorers

The San Diego Sabers struggled on the power play as they ended the regular season with a 20.93% success rate and a 77.16% penalty killing success rate. Their top scorers were #6 Knut Hornkvist who had 103 points (32 G, 71 A) and #94 Sam Bailey who had 88 points (40 G, 48 A) recorded by the end of the regular season. 

Hat-tricks in the 2024-2025 Regular Season

• Matthew Matsuda (1)

• Knut Hornkvist (2)

• Liam Krupcyznski (5) *During his 36 games played with the Sabers

Players of the Week and Players of the Month

As of March 7, 2025 there have been a couple players from the San Diego Sabers that were named the Players of the Week and Players of the Month during the 2024-2025 regular season. This includes the following: 

Players of the Week 

• Week of Oct. 24, 2024

  • Viktor Pasztor (Golatender)

• Week of Oct. 30, 2024

  • Knut Hornkvist (Forward)

  • Aidan Cosgrove (Defensemen)

• Week of Nov. 20

  • Sam Bailey (Forward)

  • Viktor Pasztor (Golatender)

• Week of Dec. 23, 2024

  • Knut Hornkvist (Forward)

Players of the Month

• Forward, Liam Krupcyznski and Knut Hornkvist, were amongst the group that were named Players of the Month in October and December, 2024.

• Forward, Knut Hornkvist and Sam Bailey, were amongst the group that were named Players of the Month in November, 2024.

• Forward, Knut Hornkvist, was amongst the group that were named Players of the Month in February, 2025.

Goaltending 

In regards to goaltending, three out of four total goaltenders have been consistently active during this season. The three active goaltenders’ stats which include: Viktor Pasztor’s 11 wins out of 21 games and a 0.910 SV%; Mikhail Saratovtsev’s 7 wins in 15 games played and a 0.895 SV%; and Parker Lewis’ 4 wins out of 16 games and a 0.878 SV%. Ryan Doninger has had a chance to play during the Las Vegas Showcase, however, he did not face any shots on goal. 

Against the rest of the Pacific Division:  

• San Diego Sabers (SDS) vs. Ventura Vikings (VNV)

  • SDS have won four out of six games against VNV by the end of the regular season (4-2). SDS outshot (227 SOG vs 194), outscored (33 G vs. 22 G), and found more success on the power play (25% PP vs. 12.5% PP) when playing against VNV. 

• San Diego Sabers (SDS) vs. Long Beach Bombers (LBB)

  • SDS have won five out of six games against LBB (5-1) when they faced one another in the regular season. SDS outshot LBB (170 SOG vs. 143 SOG), found more success on their power play attempts (40% PP vs. 12.5% PP), and outscored LBB (26 G vs. 17 G). 

• San Diego Sabers (SDS) vs. Bakersfield Roughnecks (BKR)

  • SDS and BKR were evenly split by the end of the regular season (3-3). SDS were outshot (260 SOG vs. 280 SOG) and struggled on their power play opportunities (16.7% PP vs. 20.8% PP) when they played BKR. Despite these stats, SDS outscored the Bakersfield Roughnecks (32 G vs. 23 G).

• San Diego Sabers (SDS) vs. Fresno Monsters (FRM)

  • SDS won one out of six games against FRM by the end of the regular season (1-5). SDS were outscored (18 G vs. 30 G), outshot (168 SOG vs. 235 SOG), and struggled on their power play opportunities (0% PP vs. 19.0% PP ) when they played against FRM. 

• San Diego Sabers (SDS) vs. Lake Tahoe Lakers (LTL)

  • SDS won one out of five games against LTL by the end of the regular season (1-4). SDS were outshot (142 SOG vs. 249 SOG), outscored (29 G vs. 15 G), and struggled on their power play opportunities (21.2% PP vs. 37.5% PP) when they played against LTL. 

• San Diego Sabers (SDS) vs. Ontario Jr. Reign (OJR)

  • SDS won two out of six games against OJR by the end of the regular season (2-4). SDS struggled to outscore (16 G vs. 33 G) and to capitalize on their power play attempts (12% PP vs. 32.2% PP) despite having more scoring chances than OJR (226 SOG vs 167 SOG). 

• San Diego Sabers (SDS) vs. Henderson Force (HNF)

  • SDS won two out of six games against HNF during the regular season (2-4). SDS had the advantage in regards to power play success rates (57.1% PP vs. 38.5% PP). However, SDS struggled with puck possession (207 SOG vs. 216 SOG) and with overall goals scored (21 G vs. 26 G). 

The Sabers went into this season with a clean slate as they were in a rebuild and closed out the 2024-2025 regular season with an intense set of games which fuels their eagerness to improve and evolve as the franchise. Although they did not make it to the playoffs, this does not take away from their accomplishments during the regular season.