GAMEDAY: BARRACUDA AT EAGLES
Mar 21, 2023
SAN JOSE BARRACUDA (26-29-1-4) vs. COLORADO EAGLES (32-20-5-3)
TUES, MAR. 21 | 6:05 P.M. | Budweiser Events Center | Loveland, CO
LISTEN | WATCH | GAME NOTES | MEDIA KIT
Marching Along: After Saturday’s 5-4 overtime win against the Texas Stars, which closed out a 2-1 homestand, the Barracuda hit the road for back-to-back games against the Colorado Eagles, beginning on Tuesday at the Budweiser Events Center. The Barracuda are 5-3-1-1 in its last 10 on visiting ice but have dropped three in a row against Eagles and are 0-2 on the road against the Avs top affiliate. All-time, the Barracuda are 12-11-3-1 versus the Eagles and 6-6-1-0 in Loveland. Tuesday will be the first of four games over the next 10 against Colorado to close out the eight-game season series.
Saturday Sizzle: The Barracuda held two different two-goals leads against the Texas Stars on Saturday at Tech CU Arena but would need overtime to upend the Stars, 5-4. In the win, Brandon Coe, Danil Gushchin, Tristen Robins, Jacob Peterson and Patrick Sieloff all scored and Aaron Dell made 29 stops. For Sieloff, who scored the OTW, it was his first overtime winner of his career, first goal in 73 AHL games, and first goal in a Barracuda sweater. For SJ, who went seven-for-seven in the game on the PK, Saturday’s win was the first this season when the team gave up 4+ goals (1-25-1-2).
Last Time in Loveland: The Barracuda dropped a pair of games at the Budweiser Events Center on Dec. 16 (3-4 L) and Dec. 17 (2-5 L). At the time, it was part of a five-game road trip before the AHL’s Christmas break and would turn out to be part of an eight-game losing skid from Dec. 14 to Dec. 31. In the last meeting on Dec. 17, the Barracuda fell behind 3-0 after Ryan Wagner and Spencer Smallman scored in the first, and Cedric Pare tallied at 3:30 of the second. Thomas Bordeleau would cut the lead down to two at 16:54 of the middle frame but Shane Bowers would score at 2:46 into the third to make 4-1 Eagles. 21 seconds later, Brandon Coe potted a goal but the Eagles would add an empty-netter at 19:05 to seal the win. Eetu Makiniemi suffered the loss, allowing four on 27, while Jonas Johansson collected the win, making 25 saves.
Cuda Chronicles: The Barracuda enter Tuesday one point behind the Tucson Roadrunners for the final playoff spot in the Pacific Division. SJ has eight more road games left on its schedule and 12 total. Following Saturday’s win, the Barracuda have averaged 4.30 (56 GF) goals-for-per-game over its last 13 and have notched 4+ goals in 10 of those contests. The Cuda are 28th in the AHL in goals-for (2.88) and 26th in goals-against (3.42).
Eagles Scout: Colorado enters Tuesday coming off a 3-2 overtime loss at Rockford on Saturday but are 2-0-1-0 over its last three games after dropping four in a row (0-3-0-1). Saturday concluded a six-game road trip that Colorado went 2-3-1-0 on. Entering Tuesday, the Eagles will begin a four-game homestand and have 12 games left in the regular season, with six of those coming at home. Colorado currently sits at the fourth spot in the Pacific Division, seven points ahead of Ontario, and four points behind Abbotsford. Colorado ranks 27th in the AHL in goals-for (2.90) and fourth in the league in goals-against (2.70). The Avs top affiliate is riding a five-game point streak at home (3-0-0-2) and are 5-2-0-3 in its last 10.
Player to Watch: Eagles forward Charles Hudon is T-first in the AHL in power-play goals (13). Additionally, he is pacing the Eagles in goals (21), points (42), power-play points (21), shots (160) and is second in assists (21). Hudon has skated in 50 games with the Eagles this season and nine games with the Avalanche. In two games against the Cuda, he has a goal in each.
Duck Duck Gush: Rookie forward Danil Guschin enters Tuesday riding a three-game goal streak and four-game point streak (3+5=8). Among rookies, he is T-first in shots (165) and T-first in shootout goals (4). In four games versus Colorado, he has two points (1+1=2).