GAMEDAY: BARRACUDA AT GULLS (5.13.17)
May 13, 2017San Jose Barracuda (3-1) vs. San Diego Gulls (1-3)
GAME 5 (Best-of-7), Pacific Division Final
Saturday, May 13, 2017 (7:00 PM) – Valley View Casino Center, San Diego, Calif.
Tonight’s Matchup: On Saturday, the San Jose Barracuda can close out their best-of-7 series with the San Diego Gulls with a win. San Jose leads the series 3-1 after a 4-3 victory on Friday. During the regular season San Jose went 5-3-1-1 against the Gulls, but 0-3-1-1 at Valley View Casino Center.
Powering Up: After going just 1-for-22 on the man advantage in round one, San Jose is 5-for-14 in round two. The Barracuda finished the regular season with the league's second-best power play.
Carpenter Cruising: Barracuda forward Ryan Carpenter continues his red-hot postseason. On Friday, Carpenter recorded a goal and an assist and is now first in the AHL in points (13), first in goals (7), T-first in plus-minus (+7) and T-first in game-winning goals (2). In 17 career Calder Cup playoff games, Carpenter has 18 points (9+9=18), eight penalty minutes and a plus-11 rating. The former Bowling Green Falcon registered four points (3+2=4) in seven games against San Diego during the regular season.
Too Good: On Friday, Barclay Goodrow netted his third goal of the playoffs and also added a pair of assists. Goodrow is T-second on the Barracuda in points (8), and second in assists. Goodrow set a franchise record with 25 goals during the regular season.
Timo Time: On Wednesday, Timo Meier became San Jose’s hero with an overtime winner at 17:40 of the fourth period. The rookie forward in fifth on the Barracuda in points (3+3=6) during the playoffs and is T-first in the AHL with two game-winning goals and first in shots (34). Meier won a QMJHL championship and appeared in a Memorial Cup final with the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies in 2015-16, his final year of junior.
Yeah Buddy: Barracuda forward Buddy Robinson has been a force throughout the playoffs totaling eight points (4+4=8), four penalty minutes and a plus-five rating. After being acquired in a trade with the Ottawa Senators in January, Robison collected 19 points (10+9=19) in 33 games, 53 penalty minutes and a plus-five rating for the Barracuda. Before his acquisition, the Bellmawr, New Jersey native recorded 12 points (7+5=12), 18 penalty minutes and a plus-four rating in 33 games with the Binghamton Senators (AHL). Before 2017, Robinson totaled zero points in six career Calder Cup playoff games.
Winner Winner: San Jose’s Zack Stortini is by far the team’s most experienced postseason player having skated in 62 Calder Cup playoff games over his 12-year career, and the veteran forward won a Calder Cup with the Hamilton Bulldogs in 2007.
Last Time Out: The San Jose Barracuda went 3-for-4 on the power play on Friday and held on for a 4-3 win in game four of their best-of-7 series with the San Diego Gulls. Barclay Goodrow, Ryan Carpenter and Tim Heed all scored on the power play, and Colin Blackwell netted his second goal in as many games at full strength. Troy Grosenick earned the win by making 29 saves on 32 shots.