GAMEDAY: BARRACUDA at RAMPAGE (12-3-16)
Dec 3, 2016Game #15 – San Jose (7-5-0-2) at San Antonio (8-10-1-0)
Saturday, December 3, 2016
5:00 PM PST, AT&T Center, San Antonio, Texas
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Tonight’s Matchup: The San Jose Barracuda and San Antonio Rampage (Colorado Avalanche) battle for the fourth time this season and first since San Jose shutout out San Antonio, 4-0, at AT&T Center on November 15. San Jose is 5-2-2-0 against the Rampage all-time and 2-1-1-0 in San Antonio. After the two-game weekend series, the Rampage and Barracuda will play just one more time in the regular season on January 4 at SAP Center at San Jose.
The Barracuda are riding a two-game winning streak after a 4-1 win over Bakersfield at home on Friday and a 5-2 road win in Ontario on Saturday. The Rampage did earn a point in a 4-3 overtime loss at home against the Texas Stars, but in game two of their home and home with thier in-state rival, San Antonio was handed its third shutout loss of the year in a 3-0 defeat.
Players To Watch: Daniel O’Regan leads San Jose in points (7-9-16) and since his return to the Barracuda lineup after making his NHL debut on Monday, November 21, 2016, vs. New Jersey, O’Regan has points in his last three games (2-3-5). The Boston University product is fourth among all rookies in points in the AHL. In three games against San Antonio, O’Regan is first on the Barracuda in goals (2) and t-first in points (4).
Timo Meier registered two assists in Saturday’s 5-2 win over Ontario and now has four points in his last two games (1-3-4). The former first-round selection by San Jose in 2015 (9th overall) leads the team in plus-minus (+8), second in penalty minutes (22) and fifth in the AHL among rookies in minor penalties (11). Meier had goals in three straight games from November 12 to November 18. Meier is t-first in points for the Barracuda in three games against San Antonio (1-3-4).
Adam Helewka suffered an ankle injury in training camp but seems to be finding his health along with his scoring touch. The 21-year-old is riding his first three-game point streak of his career (3-2-5) and recorded his first multi-goal game in San Jose’s 5-2 win at Ontario on Saturday. The former WHL’er also set a career high in shots with six on Saturday. Helewka has never faced San Antonio in his career.
The first year American Hockey Leaguer Tim Heed is t-second on the team in points (4-9-13) and assists (9) and is 11th in the AHL in points among blueliners. Heed recorded his second multi-goal game of the year in the 5-2 win at Ontario on Saturday.
A.J. Greer has cooled off as of late and has not found the score sheet in his last three games, but the former second round pick (#39) in 2015 by the Colorado Avalanche is still seventh among rookies in the AHL in points (4-9-14) and his seven game assist streak from October 23 to November 5 is t-first in the AHL this season. Greer has one assist in five games with the Colorado Avalanche.
System Movement: After scoring his first NHL goal against the Columbus Blue Jackets, the Colorado Avalanche reassigned forward Sam Henley to the San Antonio Rampage after just one game with the Avs. Henley had four points (1-3-4) in 19 games with the Rampage before his recall. Colorado also reassigned defenseman Gabriel Bourque.
San Antonio’s Rocco Grimaldi leads the Rampage in points (6-9-15) in 19 games and has been recalled to the Colorado Avalanche. Grimaldi has played 27 NHL games in his career all with the Florida Panthers, registering six points (4-2-6).
Between the pipes: Troy Grosenick made 27 saves to earn a shutout win on November 15 in San Antonio, but do to a right leg injury suffered on November 22 in Bakersfield, Grosenick will be unavailable for the weekend and his return is TBD. Grosenick is 3-4-0-1 on the year with a 2.69 goals-against average and a .906 save percentage.
Mantas Armalis was sharp between the pipes for San Jose on both Friday and Saturday night; stopping 53 of 56 shots he faced to earn back-to-back wins. Armalis is 4-1-0-1 on the year with a 2.71 goals-against average and a .903 save percentage. He is 1-0 in his only start against San Antonio, making 25 saves in a 3-1 win on November 6 at SAP Center.
Grosenick’s injury resulted in the recall of Jamie Murray from the Allen Americans. Murray signed as a free agent by San Jose on July 11, 2016, after an illustrious career at Division III Babson College. In 14 pro games, all with the Allen Americans (ECHL), Murray is 3-6-2 with a 2.61 goals-against average and a .922 save percentage.
Kent Simpson is yet to earn a win in three games played for the Rampage this season and has a 3.00 goals-against average and a .882 save percentage. Simpson is 0-1 against San Jose on the year after going 2-0 in four games against San Jose as a member of the Stockton Heat in 2015-16.
Spencer Martin has carried the load for the Rampage in the early going this season and has turned in impressive numbers going 8-5 with a 2.21 goals-against average and a .924 save percentage. Martin has not played since November 19 vs. Charlotte in which he made 32-saves in a 2-1 win at home. Martin is 1-0 against San Jose this season after making 41 saves in a 6-5 win at San Jose on November 5.
Jeremy Smith is 0-2 in three games played for the Rampage with a 2.63 goals-against average and a .889 save percentage. Smith has not appeared in a game for the Rampage since October 25.