Barracuda vs. Texas Stars Preview

Jan 3, 2016

Today:
The San Jose Barracuda and the Texas Stars (AHL affiliate of the Dallas Stars) meet for the 3rd of six meetings this season, the 3rd of three meetings at the SAP Center.  The Barracuda are 1-1-0-0 vs. the Stars this season and are 1-1-0-0 in two career meetings.  San Jose is 10-4-2-2 in their last 18 games overall to move within percentage points of a playoff spot in the Western Conference and open up a four game home stand this afternoon vs. the Stars. Texas has points in four straight games (3-0-0-1) and is just .003 percentage points ahead of the Barracuda for 3rd place in the Pacific Division. The Barracuda and the Stars meet again on Jan 27 as the series shifts to Texas for the final three meetings of the season between the two clubs.

Gameday Center | Game Notes | Tickets

In case you missed it…
The San Jose Barracuda (13-10-2-3, 31pts) presented by Barracuda Networks opened up the New Year with a 5-4 shootout decision over the host Bakersfield Condors (13-11-2-2, 30pts) in front of 5,016 fans at the Rabobank Arena on Saturday evening.  Micheal Haley scored twice, John McCarthy and Bryan Lerg each added two assists while Aaron Dell stopped all seven shooters in the shootout for his 6th win of the season.  Ryan Carpenter scored in his 2nd straight game and Barclay Goodrow scored his team leading 12th goal of the season as San Jose won their second straight game via the shootout.  Matthew Ford scored twice for the host Condors and Laurent Brossoit made 38 saves in the shootout loss for Bakersfield as San Jose jumped into sole possession on 4th place in the Pacific Division.

The Stars led 6-3 late in the second period but lost a wild 7-6 shootout decision in Stockton last night.  Brendan Ranford (2-1-3), Ludwig Bystrom (1-1-2), and Justin Dowling (0-2-2) all had multipoint games for Texas as John Muse made 38 saves in the loss.  With the shootout point the Stars now have points in four straight games (3-0-0-1).

Barracuda Bites…
*Recent transactions…goaltender Alex Stalock was reassigned by the Sharks to the Barracuda late last night on a conditioning assignment.  Stalock is expected to make his 1st AHL appearance since April 20, 2013 (26 saves in a 4-3 shootout loss in Syracuse).  Center Chris Tierney was loaned to the Barracuda from the Sharks after the Sharks game last night and is expected to make his Barracuda debut and defenseman Mark Cundari was reassigned by the Sharks from Team Canada (Spengler Cup) to the Barracuda earlier today.  Forward Jesse Mychan (Colorado Eagles – ECHL) signed a PTO with the Barracuda on Friday and made his Barracuda debut in last night’s 5-4 shootout win in Bakersfield.

*Al in the AHL… Alex Stalock set an AHL record for most wins by an AHL rookie goalie in 2009-10 as Stalock record 39 wins to surpass Corey Hirsch (35).  Al has 78 wins in his AHL career with Worcester and Peoria.

AHL COACHING WINS – ALL-TIME

1. Fred “Bun” Cook	1937-56	19seasons	1,171GP	636 WINS
2. Roy Sommer	1998-current	18seasons	1,367GP	630 WINS
3. Frank Mathers	1956-85	18seasons	1,256GP	610 WINS
4. John Paddock	1981-2010	16seasons	1,125GP	589 WINS

*Entering today’s game…Bryan Lerg, Mirco Mueller, Dylan DeMelo, Nikolay Goldobin, Melker Karlsson, Micheal Haley, John McCarthy, Barclay Goodrow, Ryan Carpenter, Ben Smith, and Matt Tennyson have all played for the Barracuda (AHL) and the Sharks (NHL) this season.

*Breaking down January…The Barracuda have a 1-0-0-0 (2pts in 1gp) record in January with 5 GF and 4 GA. PP is 2-7 (38.6%); opponents PP is 1-6 (16.7%); and the Barracuda have 1 fighting major  in January.

*Streakers…. Joakim Ryan (0-6-6) has a five game point streak…. Micheal Haley (4-0-4) has a three game streak…Ryan Carpenter (2-0-2) has a two game point streak… for the Stars: Greg Rallo (3-5-8) has an eight game point streak…Justin Dowling (0-4-4) three game streak…Gemel Smith (3-0-3), Ludwig Bystrom (1-2-3), Brendan Ranford (3-1-4), Julius Honka (0-2-2), Remi Elie (2-0-2), Matej Stransky (1-2-3) and Jason Dickinson (1-2-3) all have two game point streaks.

*Five for fighting… The Barracuda have 18 fighting majors through 28 games this season…. (McLaren 3, Young 3, Arseneau 1, Carpenter 1, Cundari 1, Goodrow 1, Lerg 1, Gallant 5, Hanson 1)

Important #’s:

	San Jose	Texas
Goals For	2.79 – 20th	3.94 – 1st
Goals Agst	3.11 – 22nd	3.57– 30th
Shots For	29.29 – 19th	35.77 – 1st
Shots Agst	30.86 – 18th	32.17 – 24th
PIMS	13.96 – 20th	12.20 – 26th
Fighting Majors	18 – 18th	9 – 29th

Broadcast:
Today’s San Jose Barracuda game can be heard live on AM 1220 KDOW, online at www.kdow.biz, and a video stream (for a fee) through AHL Live.  Fans can listen inside the SAP Center at 102.1 FM.