GAMEDAY: BARRACUDA AT CANUCKS
Feb 2, 2024SAN JOSE BARRACUDA (13-20-7-0, 31 pts.) vs. ABBOTSFORD CANUCKS (22-13-3-2, 49 pts.)
FRI, FEB. 2 | 7:00 P.M. | Abbotsford Centre | Abbotsford, BC
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Friday Fun: After going 3-7-3-0 in January, the team’s busiest month of the season, the Barracuda kick off a 12-game February on Friday in Abbotsford for the first of back-to-back games in BC. A year ago, the Barracuda went 3-5-0-0 against Vancouver’s top affiliate and 2-2 at the Abbotsford Centre.
Last Time Out: The Barracuda had their two-game winning streak snapped on Saturday at Tech CU Arena, falling 3-2 to the Calgary Wranglers. After allowing the first goal, the Barracuda scored a pair unanswered in the opening 20 minutes to take a 2-1 lead. First, Jacob Peterson snapped a lenthy goalless drought at 3:45 on a partial breakaway and Thomas Bordeleau, in his first game back after an 11-game absence, ripped in a below the goal line pass from Cole Cassels. Calgary would pot a pair of power-play goals in the second and hold on for the 3-2 win behind 31 saves from Dustin Wolf.
Road Woes: The Barracuda enter Friday having dropped its last seven in a row on the road (0-4-3-0) and are still searching for it first road win of 2024. The Barracuda are 4-4 all-time at the Abby Centre and 8-8 all-time in Canada.
Canucks Connection: Friday will mark the return of a pair of former Canucks to Abbotsford, Jack Studnicka and Kyle Rau. Studnicka was traded to the Sharks in mid-December for defenseman Nick Cicek and a sixth rounder in 2024. He was originally acquired by Vancouver in October of 2023 for goaltender Michael DiPietro and defenseman Jonathan Myrenberg. During his 14-month stint with the Canucks org, Studnicka appeared in 52 games in the NHL, posting nine points (5+4=9) and 16 penalty minutes. In addition, he spent nine games with Abby, all in 2023-24, scoring once and adding six assists. Rau posted 35 points (16+19=35), 24 penalty minutes and a plus-five rating in 68 games with Abbotsford last year, his only with the team.
Stars Squared: The AHL added Shakir Mukhamadullin to the Pacific Division roster for the 2024 AHL All-Sar Classic presented by Tech CU on Wednesday, which will take place on Sunday and Monday (Feb. 4-5) at Tech CU Arena in San Jose. Mukhamadullin joins teammate Danil Gushchin, who was already named earlier this month. The Ufa, Russia, native has appeared in 39 games for the Barracuda this season, recording 26 points (5+21=26) and 18 penalty minutes. Among AHL defensemen, he is tied for seventh in assists and points and made his NHL debut against the Buffalo Sabres on Jan. 27. The six-foot-four, 190-pounder was originally selected by New Jersey in the 2020 NHL Draft (first round, 20th overall). The Sharks acquired him in a blockbuster traded with the Devils last spring that sent Timo Meier to the Devils.
Sabs Sizzlin’: Barracuda forward Scott Sabourin scored and added an assist on Wednesday in his return to the AHL from recall and now leads the team in game-winners (3), penalty minutes (92), majors (6), and is T-first in power-play goals (4) and is third in goals (10). Sabourin has eight goals and 12 points over his last 12 games in the AHL after notching just two goals and one assist through his first 19 outings.
Back in BC: Friday will mark the return of Barracuda forward Jordy Bellerive to his home province of British Columbia. Before being traded to the Barracuda, the native of North Vancouver, BC, had spent his first four-plus years in the AHL playing in the Atlantic Division with Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins and Lehigh Valley Phantoms, never playing west of Cleveland. Since being acquired by the Barracuda, Bellerive has two points (1+1=2) in three games.
Abby Outlook: The Canucks enter Friday with a 2-0-1-1 record over its last four and sit at the fourth spot in the division (22-13-3-2, 49 pts., .613%). All-Star selection Arshdeep Bains is T-sixth in the league in scoring (38) and T-fourth in assists (29). The Canucks are last in the AHL on the power play (14.3%) but third on the penalty kill (85.3%).