BARRACUDA WEEKLY (2.21.17)
Feb 21, 2017
The Barracuda are riding a 12-game winning streak and sit atop the AHL for the first time ever
Weekly Rewind
Friday, Feb. 17 – BARRACUDA 5 at Stockton 4
After the San Jose Barracuda had rolled to a 5-0 win over the Stockton Heat on January 25 and the teams combined for 168 penalty minutes, Friday’s matchup had a little extra behind it. Going for their 10th-straight victory and hoping to extend Stockton’s losing streak to nine in a row, San Jose jumped out to 3-0 first-period lead behind a pair of goals from Nikita Jevpalovs (9, 10) and a power-play strike by Patrick McNally (3). But in the second, Stockton stormed back with tallies a minute and 40 seconds apart to make it 3-2. Timo Meier (10) jammed home San Jose’s second power play goal to make it 4-2, but the Heat countered with two more goals less than two minutes apart to tie the game at 4-4. With 22 seconds left in the second, Joakim Ryan (7) snuck a shot through from the point to give San Jose a 5-4 lead going into the final 20 minutes. In the third, Mantas Armalis made all nine saves he faced, and the Barracuda extended its winning streak to double digits.
Saturday, Feb. 18 – BARRACUDA 2 at Ontario 0
After bussing from Stockton to Ontario following Friday’s win, the San Jose Barracuda arrived in Southern California on Saturday at 4 a.m. and had a game 12 hours later against arch rival the Ontario Reign. Fatigue didn’t seem to play a factor as Troy Grosenick stopped all 20 Reign shots to earn his seventh shutout of the season and San Jose's ninth overall shutout, both lead the AHL. In the first, Buddy Robinson sprung Adam Helewka (12) behind the Reign defense, and Helewka capped off the breakaway with a forehand-to-backhand finish to give San Jose the opening period lead. In the second, John McCarthy (12) extended San Jose’s advantage to 2-0 as he redirected a Joakim Ryan point-shot. San Jose outshot the Reign in the third 17-to-2 and held on for their 11th win in a row.
Monday, Feb. 20 – BARRACUDA 5 vs. Texas 3
In its first matchup against the Texas Stars since early November, San Jose began the game two-for-two on the power play and jumped out to a 2-0 lead off the stick of Nikolay Goldobin (14) and John McCarthy (13). The Stars cashed in on their first power play and then tied the game at 2-2 in the first, but McCarthy (14) gave the Barracuda back their lead with just 12 seconds left in the period. In the second, Danny O’Regan (15) pushed San Jose’s edge back up to two just a minute and 57 seconds into the frame. But the Stars buried their second power play goal to make it 4-3 before O’Regan (16) scored again in the third. Troy Grosenick earned his 10th consecutive win, and the Barracuda won their 12th in a row behind Grosenick’s 28 saves.
The Week Ahead
Friday, Feb. 24 – BARRACUDA at Tucson (Tucson Convention Center)
Listen: AHLLive.com at 6:05 p.m.
Watch: AHLLive.com
NHL Affiliation: Arizona Coyotes
If the regular season were to end today, the San Jose Barracuda and Tucson Roadrunners would be the Pacific Divisions one-against-four matchup. On Friday, San Jose plays its first game ever in Tucson against the Roadrunners and enters the matchup 2-0 in two previous contests, both played at SAP Center. The Roadrunners return home after a 20-day, six-game road trip that concludes on Wednesday in Ontario against the Reign. The Roadrunners are just 2-8-0 in their last ten games and are 1-4-0 during their road trip but did pick up an impressive 5-2 win in San Diego on Saturday. In two games against the ‘Runners, the Barracuda are 44.5% (4/9) on the power play and 90.9% (10/11) on the penalty kill.
Saturday, Feb. 25 – BARRACUDA at Tucson (Tucson Convention Center)
Listen: AM 1220 KDOW at 6:05 p.m. PST
Watch: AHLLive.com
NHL Affiliation: Arizona Coyotes
BROADCASTER BITES
- The Barracuda sit at first-place in the League for the first time in team history (.717%)
- The Barracuda have now won six-straight at home and hold the best home winning percentage in the AHL (.783) and have allowed the least amount of goals at home in the AHL (44) this season.
- The Barracuda have won eight-straight on the road and have the third best road winning percentage in the AHL (.652).
- The Barracuda are second in the AHL on the power play (25.3%) and third in the AHL on the penalty kill (85.5%).
- San Jose has the second best goal differential in the AHL (+50) only behind the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins (+52).
- San Jose has given up the least amount of goals (112) in the AHL this season
- San Jose has the most shutouts in the AHL this season (9).
- Danny O’Regan is first among AHL rookies in points (16+29=45), first in assists, T-7th in goals, T-second in power-play goals (6), and is T-5th in points overall in the AHL.
- Among defensemen, Tim Heed is third in the AHL in points (11+31=42), first in assists, third in power-play goals (7), T-first in game-winning goals (4) and is tied for 12th overall in the league in points. Heed has points in eight straight, 14 of his last 15 and 20 of his last 22 games.
CURRENT STREAKS
- The Barracuda sit at first-place in the League for the first time in team history (.717%)
- San Jose has now won six-straight at home and hold the best home winning percentage in the AHL (.783) and have allowed the least amount of goals at home in the AHL (44) this season.
- The Barracuda have won eight-straight on the road and have the third best road winning percentage in the AHL (.652).
- Troy Grosenick is first in the AHL in shutouts (7), first in save percentage (.934), first in goals-against average (1.97), T-fourth in wins (18) and is riding a career long 10 game winning streak.
- San Jose is second in the AHL on the power play (25.3%) and third in the AHL on the penalty kill (85.5%).
- The Barracuda have the second best goal differential in the AHL (+50) only behind the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins (+52).
- San Jose has given up the least amount of goals this season (112) in the AHL.
- San Jose has the most shutouts in the AHL this season (9).
- Danny O’Regan is first among AHL rookies in points (16+29=45), first in assists, T-7th in goals, T-second in power-play goals (6), and is T-5th in points overall in the AHL.
- Among defensemen, Tim Heed is third in the AHL in points (11+31=42), first in assists, third in power-play goals (7), T-first in game-winning goals (4) and is tied for 12th overall in the league in points. Heed has points in eight straight, 14 of his last 15 and 20 of his last 22 games.
RECENT TRANSACTIONS
- Mirco Mueller (D), Marcus Sorensen (F), Nikolay Goldobin (F), Kevin Labanc (F) reassigned to the San Jose Barracuda (AHL) 2/20