GAMEDAY: BARRACUDA AT FIREBIRDS

Dec 12, 2024

SAN JOSE BARRACUDA (14-6-0-1) vs COACHELLA VALLEY FIREBIRDS (11-8-1-2)

THURS, DEC. 12 | 7:00 P.M. | ACRISURE ARENA | PALM DESERT, CA

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Fired Up: After a five-game homestand in which the Barracuda went 4-0-0-1, the club hits the road in Coachella Valley on Thursday to begin a five-game road trip. Thursday marks the third consecutive meeting between the Barracuda and Firebirds and the fourth on the eight-game season series. The Barracuda claimed a pair of one-goal victories over the Kraken affiliate this past weekend at Tech CU Arena and are 3-0 in the season series this year. San Jose enters Thursday riding a season-long six-game points streak (5-0-0-1), the longest since the end of the 2019-20 campaign.

 

Sunday Funday: Georgi Romanov made 32 stops as the Barracuda upended the Coachella Valley Firebirds, 2-1, on Sunday at Tech CU Arena. In the win, Thomas Bordeleau (PP) and Donavan Houle found the back of the net and the Barracuda went three-for-three on the PK.

 

Ask & You Shall Receive: Yaroslav Askarov collected his third shutout of the year on Saturday and now ranks T-first in the AHL in shutouts, first in goals-against average (1.75) and save percentage (.946), and fourth in wins (8). Askarov was named the AHL’s Goalie of the Month in October after going 5-0 with a pair of shutouts. The former 11th overall pick by the Nashville Predators was traded to the Sharks on August 23, 2024, in exchange for forward David Edstrom, a 2025 conditional first-round pick, and goaltender Magnus Chrona.

 

Eye Eye Captain: The Barracuda named former Firebird Jimmy Schuldt the club’s sixth captain in franchise history in late November. Schuldt, 29, is in his first season with the Barracuda after helping guide the Coachella Valley Firebirds to back-to-back Calder Cup Finals. The sixth-year pro was originally signed as an undrafted free agent by the Vegas Golden Knights on April 4, 2019. Prior to turning pro, the rearguard spent four years at St. Cloud State, serving as the team’s captain for three of the four seasons. Andrew Poturalski, Lucas Carlsson, Colin White, and Scott Sabourin were named alternate captains. Schuldt skated in 139 regular season games over two years with the Firebirds from 2022-24, collecting 13 goals and 43 assists, along with a +44 rating.

 

Hot Pot: Former Firebird Andrew Poturalksi is T-eighth in the AHL in points (20), T-ninth goals (8), and T-third in power-play goals (4).  Among Barracuda skaters, he is first in goals and power-play goals, and second in points, and assists (12). In 98 games over two seasons with Coachella Valley from 2022-24, Poturalski notched 26 goals and 67 assists, along with a plus-22 rating, 12 power-play goals, and five game-winning goals. During 29 playoff games, he scored five times and added 17 assists.

 

Great Graf: Barracuda rookie Collin Graf ranks T-sixth in the AHL in points (22) and T-second in assists (17). Among first-year players, he is first in helpers, T-second in points, and T-second in power-play assists (7).

 

Luca Lightning: Among all AHL defenders, rookie Luca Cagnoni ranks T-second in goals (7) and power-play points (10), T-third in power-play goals (3) and power-play assists (7), and T-fourth in points (18). Among league freshmen, he is first in power-play points and T-second in power-play assists. Additionally, he is T-fifth in goals.

 

Cuda Deep Dive: The Barracuda rank first in the league on the penalty kill (90.7), second in shorthanded goals (5), and ninth on the power play (20.5). On the road, the Barracuda are second in the AHL in the penalty kill (92.5). San Jose is fourth in goals against (2.52) and seventh in the AHL in goals for (3.43).

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