GAMEDAY: BARRACUDA AT ICEHOGS
Mar 17, 2024SAN JOSE BARRACUDA (18-28-9-2, 47 pts.) vs. ROCKFORD ICEHOGS (27-22-5-2, 61 pts.)
SUN, MAR. 17 | 2:00 P.M. | BMO CENTER | ROCKFORD, IL
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Rock & Roll: The Barracuda wrap up their four-game road trip on Sunday afternoon in Rockford with the second of back-to-back games versus the IceHogs (Chicago Blackhawks). Sunday is just the fourth all-time game at the BMO Center for the Cuda. The Barracuda are 1-1-1-0 versus the Hawks top affiliate after Saturday’s 4-3 overtime loss. All-time the Barracuda are 2-4-1-0 against the Hogs, and 1-1-1-0 on the road.
About Last Night: The Barracuda never led on Saturday night at the BMO Center but managed to erase a two-goal deficit in the third period and force OT before ultimately falling, 4-3, to the IceHogs in the extra session. In the loss, Ethan Cardwell collected a game-high three points (1+2=3) and Cole Cassels and Tristen Robins also found the back of the net.
Full Deck: Barracuda rookie forward Ethan Cardwell recorded his second three-point game of his career on Saturday, collecting a goal and two assists. Among league rookies, he is now T-sixth in goals (16) and T-12th in scoring (32) and shots (124). On the Barracuda, he is T-first in goals, T-second in game-winning goals (2), third in shots, T-fourth in power-play goals (2), and fifth in points.
Trade Winds: The Barracuda sent forward Jordy Bellerive to the Syracuse Crunch on Friday for forward Joe Carroll. Carroll, 23, has 22 points (11 goals, 11 assists) through 48 games, including four game-winning goals, three power-play goals, a shorthanded goal, and three shorthanded assists. Carroll was a teammate of new defenseman Jack Thompson in Syracuse just last week. In addition, he was a teammate of current Barracuda forwards Scott Sabourin and Cole Cassels in Belleville a season ago and Barracuda defenseman Artem Guryev in Peterborough two years ago. Carroll is expected to make his Cuda debut on Sunday.
Ozzy Out: The Sharks loaned Barracuda forward Ozzy Wiesblatt to the Milwaukee Admirals on Friday. Wiesblatt, who is still under contract with the Sharks through 2024-25, will return to the organization following the conclusion of the 2023-24 season. The Admirals sit atop the Central Division, 11 points ahead of the second-place Grand Rapids Griffins.
Meet and Greet: Sunday marks just the eighth all-time meeting between the Barracuda and IceHogs and the fourth and final on the season series. The Barracuda opened the 2023-24 season at Tech CU Arena against the IceHogs, splitting a pair of 7-2 finals. The first game in Barracuda franchise history was Oct. 9, 2015, at SAP Center versus Rockford. Michael Haley scored the first goal in franchise history at 19:47 of the first period, but the Barracuda fell 4-2.
Double Trouble: The Sharks and Blackhawks organizations will play a doubleheader on Sunday as the Sharks and Hawks will square off at the United Center in Chicago, and the Barracuda will faceoff with the IceHogs in Rockford. All-time, the Sharks are 4-9-2-0 on St. Patrick’s Day, while the Barracuda are 2-2 lifetime on St. Patrick’s Day. The only time the Sharks have faced the Blackhawks on St. Patrick’s Day was Mar. 17, 2003, at SAP Center (2-3 OTL).
Sabs Sizzling: Before Saturday, Barracuda forward Scott Sabourin had notched goals in six of eight. The veteran is now co-leading the team with 16 goals, matching his career-high for goals in a season, which he set last year. Among Barracuda skaters, he is T-first in goals, power-play goals (5), shorthanded goals (1), and first in game-winning goals (3). Additionally, he is first in penalty minutes (150), minor penalties (30), and majors (6). Among league leaders, he is second in penalty minutes and T-third in minors, and majors.
Hogs Heating Up: Prior to their 5-3 loss at Texas on Wednesday, the IceHogs had won seven in a row. Rockford is tied with the Stars for the third spot in the Central Division after a win on Saturday and a Stars’ loss at Tucson, 4-1. Rockford has won three in a row at home, and goaltender Jaxson Stauber has picked up wins in his last seven. The IceHogs have also scored three or more goals in each of their last eight games and four or more in six of eight.