GAMEDAY: BARRACUDA VS ROADRUNNERS
Dec 3, 2022SAN JOSE BARRACUDA (10-9-0-1) vs. TUCSON ROADRUNNERS (8-4-1-0)
SAT, DEC. 3 | 6:00 P.M. | Tech CU Arena | San Jose, CA
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Tussling Tucson: After losses to the Iowa Wild on Tuesday and Wednesday, the Barracuda continue their six-game home stand on Saturday, looking to get right with the first of back-to-back games against the Tucson Roadrunners. The Barracuda are 1-3 against the Coyotes’ affiliate this year, and 0-2 at home, but are coming off a 6-0 win in the last meeting on Nov. 20. In that game, Eetu Makiniemi made 28 saves en-route to the shutout, and Thomas Bordeleau netted the franchise’s first ever natural hat-trick.
Tucson Test: After beginning the year 6-1, the Roadrunners have gone 4-5-1-0 over its last 10. Tucson forward Michael Carcone ranks T-seventh in AHL scoring (22) and T-fifth in assists (16). The Ajax, Ontario native enters Saturday with assists in his last three games and a team-high eight points (3+5=8) in four games against the Barracuda this year. In nine career games versus San Jose, he has six goals and seven assists.
Prickly Pair: The Barracuda (1st: 20.90) and Roadrunners (2nd: 20.47) rank first and second in the AHL in penalty minutes per game entering Saturday. San Jose is first in the AHL in majors (16), and minor penalties (124) and have went on the PK 6.9 times per game over its last seven outings. In four games head-to-head, the Pacific Division rivals have combined for 69.5 penalty per game. Jeff Viel is second in the AHL in minors (15) and T-fourth, along with teammate Montana Onyebuchi, in majors (3). William Eklund is T-first among rookies in minors (9).
Rookie Arrivals: Rookies Thomas Bordeleau (9), Tristen Robins (7), William Eklund (5), Danil Gushchin (5), Brandon Coe (2), and Ozzy Wiesblatt (1) have accounted for 29 of the Barracuda’s 54 goals scored this year (53%). The most among any rookie class this season. Wiesblatt (Rd 1, 31st overall), Bordeleau (Rd 2, 38th Overall), Robins (Rd 2, 56th Overall), Gushchin (Rd 3, 76th Overall), and Coe (Rd 4, 98th Overall) were all part of the Sharks' historic nine-forward draft class in 2020. Bordeleau is T-first amonst rookies in goals, while Robins is T-first among rookies in power-play goals (4) and shots (52).
Powering Up: The Barracuda have netted a power-play goal in its last seven consecutive games (8/33=24%) and now have power-play goals in eight of its last nine games. In four games against the Roadrunners, the Barracuda have scored a PPG in each contest (5/18=27.8%).
Killin’ it: Despite giving up a pair of power-play goals in each game earlier this week against Iowa and allowing opposing power-play goals in four of its last five games, the Barracuda still boast the AHL’s top penalty killing unit (86.6%). San Jose is 1-7 this year when giving up an opposing power-play goal, earning its only win on Nov. 25 at Henderson (5-2 W).
El Cap: Barracuda captain Andrew Agozzino collected an assist on Wednesday and now has points in eight of his last nine games (4+6=10). Agozzino leads the group in points (17), assists (12), shots (56), power-play assists (6), and insurance goals (2). The 10-year vet is just two goals shy of 200 in the AHL. In his career, he has 24 points (9+15=24) in 22 game versus the Roadrunners.