GAME PREVIEW: BARRACUDA AT ROADRUNNERS
Mar 23, 2019San Jose Barracuda (32-19-3-4 .612) vs. Tucson Roadrunners (29-23-5-2 .551)
SUN, MAR. 24 | 4:05 PM
Tucson Arena | Tucson, Ariz.
LISTEN | WATCH | GAME NOTES
Tussle in Tucson: The Barracuda wrap up their eight-game season series with the Roadrunners on Sunday and are 3-4-0-0 against the Coyotes affiliate this season after Saturday’s 3-2 overtime loss.
Tucson Terrors: Prior to Saturday, the Barracuda had not scored a goal at the Tucson Convention in their last four games and had been shutout in five of the last six contests in the desert. During that stretch, San Jose had been outscored 22-to-four in those games. San Jose’s last win in Tucson came on March 21, 2018 (4-3 OTW) and current Barracuda assistant captain Jake Middleton scored the game winner. In the previous six games at the TCC, San Jose went 5-0-0-1, outscoring Tucson at home 22-to-17.
Luck of the Irish: The Barracuda celebrated the St. Patrick’s Day holiday on Sunday by potting nine goals in a 9-0 win over the Colorado Eagles. The shutout victory was the largest in the AHL since the Toronto Marlies beat the Manitoba Moose on December 6, 2015, 9-0. In the win, Josef Korenar banked his fourth shutout of the season by making 31 saves and rookie blueliner Thomas Gregoire netted his first two pro goals and finished with the best single-game plus/minus rating in Barracuda history (+6). The nine goals were also a franchise watermark and the most since the Barracuda netted eight against Texas on November 12, 2016 (8-5 W). Seven different Barracuda skaters registered two-or-more points in the win that snapped Colorado's nine-game winning streak.
Hensick Heating Up: Veteran forward T.J. Hensick collected his first three-point game as a member of the Barracuda on Sunday and his third multi-point game in teal. In 14 games with San Jose, Hensick has totaled four goals and seven assists. Over his 12-year career, Hensick has appeared in 644 AHL games, earning 579 points (170 goals, 409 assists) and 194 penalty minutes.
Frank the Tank: On Sunday, Francis Perron tallied for the second time in his last three games and now ranks second on the Barracuda in goals (17), points (41), fourth in assists (24) and second in power-play goals (7). Perron was included in the offseason deal that brought Erik Karlsson to San Jose from Ottawa.
Slump Buster: Jeffrey Viel and Jayden Halbgewachs each snapped lengthy goalless droughts on Sunday. Viel opened up the scoring at the 2:10 mark of the first and Jayden Halbgewach capped off the 9-0 win with goal nine. Viel was goalless in his last 16 and Halbgewachs in his last 18.
Joe the Wall: After Sunday’s blank sheet, Josef Korenar now ranks T-third in the AHL in shutouts (4) and T-10th in wins (20).
Dynamic Dezy: Nick DeSimone extended his point streak (one goal, four assists) to four games on Saturday and now ranks T-eigth in the AHL among defensemen in scoring (40) and T-seventh in goals (11). DeSimone is three goals shy of Tim Heed’s single-season Barracuda record for goals scored by a d-man (14 – 2016-17).
Gambo Good: Rookie forward Dylan Gambrell netted his 17th goal of the season on Saturday and now ranks T-13th among rookies in scoring (39), T-fifth in goals, 20th in assists (22), 14th in shots (122) and T-10th in points-per-game (.91). Gambrell won a National Championship at Denver University in 2017.