Ducks’ youngsters growing up fast after launching careers with AHL’s Gulls

SAN DIEGO — Welcome to the Valley View Casino Center. Step inside. It’s dark. Notice the smell of popcorn, hot dogs, beer and sweat lingering in the air from who knows how long ago? It’s noisy, too, when it’s filled with cheering fans of the San Diego Gulls of the American Hockey League.
This is where the magic happens.
This relic of 1960s-era optimism is where Ducks prospects turn into NHL players.
Well, here and in the Gulls’ new training facility in suburban Powa