GAMEDAY: BARRACUDA VS ROADRUNNERS
Nov 3, 2019SAN JOSE BARRACUDA (4-3-0-1) at TUCSON ROADRUNNERS (6-3-0-0)
SUNDAY, NOV. 3 | 3:00 P.M. | SAP CENTER | SAN JOSE, CA
LISTEN | WATCH | GAME NOTES| BIOS
Today’s Matchup: The Barracuda return home on Sunday for #HockeyFightsCancer Day as they play host to the Tucson Roadrunners for the first of eight meetings on the season. The Barracuda are 13-7-2-2 all-time against the Coyotes affiliate and 7-3-1-1 all-time at the Tank.
Last Time Out: The Barracuda never trailed on Friday in Stockton and had nine power-play chances but scored just one goal on the man-advantage and eventually fell by a final score of 3-2 in a shootout. Max Letunov netted his team-leading third power-play goal of the year and Jayden Halbgewachs got on the board just 48 seconds into the first. After earning a point, the Barracuda now have points in three straight games.
Stingy ‘Runners: The Tucson Roadrunners have been one of the best defensive teams in the AHL thus far this season, holding opponents to the third-fewest goals-per-game (2.11) in the league. In addition, the Roadrunners have put the third most shots-per-game (33.67) on opposing goaltenders.
Joe the Wall: Prior to Friday, Sophmore goaltender Josef Korenar had picked up shutout wins in his last two outings and had not allowed a goal in 160 minutes and 36 seconds of consecutive action. Korenar who now has six career AHL shutouts is one of only two goalies in the league to have multiple shutouts this season. As a rookie last year, Korenar went 23-8-2, with a 2.54 goals-against average and .911 save percentage and was named to the 2019 AHL mid-season All-Star team.
Conditioning Stint: The Sharks assigned defenseman Radim Simek to the Barracuda on Monday for a conditioning assignment. In his only game action since suffering a season-ending knee injury on March 12th against the Winnipeg Jets, Simek collected an assist, was a plus-1, skated in 16 minutes and 50 seconds and put one shot on net in Wednesday’s win over the Condors. In his first NHL season a year ago, the Mlada Boleslav, Czech Republic, native appeared in 41 games with the Sharks, totaling nine points (one goal, eight assists), a plus-seven rating and eight penalty minutes. The year prior, his first in North America, Simek skated in 67 games for the Barracuda, accumulating 27 points (seven goals, 20 assists), 20 penalty minutes and a plus-six rating.
Bergmann Ballin’: Prior to Friday, Lean Bergmann had points in all four games (three goals, three assists) with the Barracuda since being assigned to the AHL on October 20. Bergmann made the Sharks out of training camp and appeared in six games, recording one assist.
Kellman Cruising: Signed by the Sharks as a free agent on April 25, 2019, Joel Kellman leads the Barracuda in points (8) and assists (7) through eight games. Before this season, Kellman, 25, skated in 196 games in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL) as a member Karlskrona HK and Brynas IF, collecting 114 points (49 goals, 65 assists), 88 PIMS and a minus-18 rating.
El Cap: Barracuda Captain John McCarthy sits just one-point shy of 300 (129 goals, 170 assists) in his pro career. McCarthy is the Barracuda’s all-time leader in games played (265), points (134), goals (58) and assists (76). McCarthy has yet to register a point this season through eight games.