GAMEDAY: BARRACUDA VS ROADRUNNERS
Jan 3, 2024SAN JOSE BARRACUDA (10-14-4-0, 24 pts.) vs. TUCSON ROADRUNNERS (19-8-1-1, 40 pts.)
WED, JAN. 3 | 7:00 P.M. | Tech CU Arena | San Jose, CA
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Land and Sea: On Wednesday, the Barracuda kick off 2024 and begin its busiest month of the season (13 games) with a visit from the Tucson Roadrunners (Arizona Coyotes). Despite scoring 11 goals in the last two matchups, the Barracuda are 0-3 against the Roadrunners this season, giving up 6.66 goals per game. In the most recent meeting, on Dec. 20, the two teams combined for a season-high 14 goals (6-8 L).
Last Time Out: After winning 5-4 in a shootout on Friday in Bakersfield, the Barracuda were dealt a 4-2 loss on Saturday at Tech CU Arena against the Condors. In the defeat, Leon Gawanke and Nikolai Knyzhov each scored, but the Barracuda failed to add anymore offense after the first, and the Condors would notch the final three goals en-route to the 4-2 win.
Tucson Test: The Roadrunners enter Wednesday having won a season-long five straight contests and seven of its last eight. With a pair of games in hand, Tucson sits just one point behind the Calgary Wranglers for the top spot in the Western Conference. Tucson has also picked up wins in four consecutive games on the road and are third in the AHL in visiting winning percentage (11-3-1-0=.767). Of the team’s 19 wins, 12 have been decided by just one goal and 17 have been decided by two or fewer goals. The Roadrunners boast the league’s best record when scoring first (16-0-0-1=.971%), are 10-0-0-1 when leading after a period and 13-0-0-1 when leading after 40 minutes. In one-goal games, the Roadrunners are 12-2-1-1.
Work Horse: In his first season under contract with the Coyotes, former Kings’ prospect Matt Villalta is T-first in the AHL in wins (15) and first in games (23), minutes (1365), and saves (631). He’s also T-eighth in save percentage (.916) and fifteenth in goals-against average (2.55).
King Leon: Barracuda blueliner Leon Gawanke, who has scored in his last two games, ranks T-fourth in the AHL among defenders in points (23) and goals (7). The German-born defenseman has 16 points (5+11=16) over his last 16 games. A season ago, as a member of the Manitoba Moose, he led all league defenders in power-play goals (7) and was T-first in total goals (20).
Love Shak: Barracuda defenseman Shakir Mukhamadullin has assists in each of his last two games and now has points in seven of his last eight (2+8=10) and 13 points (3+10=13) over his last 11 outings. The former Devils first-rounder is T-seventh among league blueliners in points (20), and T-sixth in power-play assists (7). Versus the Roadrunners, Mukhamadullin leads the team in points (6) and assists (4) and is T-first in goals (2).