GAME PREVIEW: BARRACUDA VS EAGLES
Mar 16, 2019San Jose Barracuda (31-19-2-4 .607) vs. Colorado Eagles (33-22-3-1 .593)
SUN, MAR. 17 | 3:00 PM
SAP Center at San Jose | San Jose, CA
LISTEN | WATCH | GAME NOTES
Sky High in Colorado: The San Jose Barracuda and Colorado Eagles square off for the second time in as many days and the sixth time overall when they meet on Sunday. After falling 3-2 on Saturday afternoon, the Barracuda are now 2-1-1-1 against the Avalanche affiliate and 2-1-0-0 at the SAP Center. Colorado has won nine-straight entering Sunday and sit two points ahead of the Barracuda for the second spot in the Pacific Division.
About Saturday: The Barracuda opened up the scoring on Saturday and outshout Colorado 25-23 but allowed three goals in the second period and fell 3-2. In his first game with the Barracuda since November, Lukas Radil netted his second AHL goal and Barracuda captain John McCarthy became the ninth ‘Cuda skater this year to reach double-digit goals.
The Road Ahead: The Barracuda boast the Western Conference’s toughest strength of schedule down the final stretch of the season (.577) but have the most games remaining in the division. Of San Jose’s final 12 games, 5 of them are at the SAP Center.
Gambo Goin’: The Sharks reassigned rookie center-ice man Dylan Gambrell to the Barracuda on Friday after joining the Sharks on their road trip earlier in the week. Gambrell has totaled 14 points over his last 12 games, including a pair of multi-goal efforts. The former Denver Pioneer ranks T-13th in the AHL among rookies in points (38), T-seventh in goals (16) and 10th in points-per-game (.93). The Sharks selected the 22-year-old in the second round (#60 overall) in the 2016 NHL Draft.
True That: Last Sunday Alex True netted his team-leading 21st goal of the year, tying for the fourth most in a single season in franchise history. True is now T-third in Barracuda history in goals (36 – Nikolay Goldobin) and is pacing San Jose in points (47), goals, multi-point games (10), T-first in plus/minus (+13), second in points-per-game (.85), third in assists (26), and fourth in shots (116).
Tough Guy: Rookie forward Jeffrey Viel ranks third in the AHL in major penalties (8) and is first among all freshmen. In addition, Viel is second among first-year players in penalty minutes (86). As the captain of the Acadie-Bathurst Titan last year, Viel who signed with the Barracuda as a free agent this offseason, led the Titan to a Memorial Cup Championship while earning QMJHL Playoff MVP Honors (Guy Lafleur Trophy).
Dezzy Dishin’: San Jose sophomore d-man Nick DeSimone ranks T-10th in the AHL in points (38) among blueliners, T-10th in goals (10) and is T-12th in power-play goals (4). Among all Barracuda skaters, the East Amherst, New York native is T-second in points, T-fifth in goals, first in assists (27), fourth in power-play goals, and first in shots (125).