GAMEDAY: BARRACUDA AT CONDORS
Jan 21, 2020SAN JOSE BARRACUDA (14-20-1-2) vs BAKERSFIELD CONDORS (16-18-4-1)
WEDNESDAY, JAN. 22 | 6:30 P.M. | MECHANICS BANK ARENA | BAKERSFIELD, CA
LISTEN | WATCH | GAME NOTES | BIOS
Back in Bako: On Wednesday, the Barracuda wrap up their three-game road trip in Bakersfield as they take on the Condors (Edmonton Oilers) for the seventh time this season and the second time at the Mechanics Bank Arena. The Barracuda enter Wednesday riding a three-game point streak (2-0-1-0) and a three-game road point streak (2-0-1-0). The Barracuda were defeated 6-3 in the only other meeting this season in Bakersfield on November 9, 2019. In the loss, Condors’ forward Tyler Benson netted a hat-trick and added an assist and Brad Malone collected a goal and three assists. In the most recent matchup on December 29, 2020, at the Tank, the Condors picked up a 7-5 win behind a pair of goals from Brad Malone and a goal and a pair of assists from Josh Currie.
Last Time Out: Evan Weinger scored a shorthanded goal just a minute and two seconds into the game on Saturday night in Iowa and then Dylan Gambrell made it 2-0 in the first with and even-strength goal at 9:24 of the opening frame, but the Wild managed to score three unanswered and take a 3-2 lead in the second before Jake Middleton tied the game at 18:25 of the third, also shorthanded. In overtime, Iowa’s Louise Belpedio snapped a 13 game goalless drought to secure the two points for the Wild at the four-minute mark of the extra session.
Late Addition: On Friday, the AHL added Tucson’s Brayden Burke and Bakersfield’s Tyler Benson to the AHL All-Star Classic roster for the Pacific Division. Benson will replace fellow teammate Tyler Yamamoto who will not be available for the event. A second-round pick by the Oilers in 2016, Benson finished second among all AHL rookies in points last year (15-51-66) and first in assists and was named to the AHL’s All-Rookie Team and Second All-Star Team. Benson leads all skaters in points during the head-to-head matchup with the Barracuda this season (3-5-8).
Hey Now, You’re an All-Star: Joachim Blichfeld was the lone Barracuda player named to the 2020 AHL All-Star Classic earlier this month, joining Jake Middleton, Francis Perron, Josef Korenar, Barclay Goodrow, Ryan Carpenter, Troy Grosenick, Danny O'Regan, Antoine Bibeau, and Rudolfs Balcers as players to represent the Barracuda at the AHL All-Star Classic. Blichfeld, 21, has appeared in 27 games with the Barracuda this season and currently sits at second on the team in goals (13), points (25) and is first in power-play goals (4). A season ago, Blichfeld led the WHL in scoring (53 goals, 61 assists) and was named the WHL Player of the Year. Blichfeld is currently up with the Sharks.
Carrick Cooking: Trevor Carrick collected a pair of assists on Friday and now has nine points (three assists, six assists) over his last seven games. On Wednesday, in a 7-2 win over Colorado, Carrick scored for the second-straight game and now ranks T-second in goals (8) among AHL d-men. On December 11, Carrick scored the first blueliner hat-trick in franchise history in a 6-2 win over the Bakersfield Condors and is T-first on the team in game-winners (3). A season ago, Carrick finished sixth among AHL defensemen in scoring (47), fourth in assists (38) and 15th in penalty minutes (86) and helped lead the Charlotte Checkers to a Calder Cup Championship. The Sharks acquired Carrick in an offseason trade that sent Kyle Wood to the Carolina Hurricanes.
Halbs Heating Up: Second-year-pro Jayden Halbgewachs netted a pair of goals (13, 14) on Wednesday and now leads the Barracuda in that department along with game-winners (3). Halbgewachs has six points (five goals, one assist) over his last five games and has now recorded multiple-points in eight games this year. Two years ago, Halbgewachs led the CHL in scoring (129) and the WHL in goals (70) as a member of the Moose Jaw Warriors. Friday marks Halbgewachs’ 100th AHL game of his career.
Youth Movement: The Barracuda enter Friday as the AHL’s youngest roster with an average age of 22.48-years-old. No other team in the league is under 23-years-old. In fact, seven players on the 'Cuda roster are 21-years-old or younger, including two players under 21 (Sasha Chmelevski [20] and Ivan Chekhovich [20]).