GAMEDAY: BARRACUDA at RAMPGAGE (12-4-16)
Dec 4, 2016Game #16 – San Jose (7-5-0-3) at San Antonio (9-10-1-0)
Sunday, December 4, 2016
1:00 PM PST, AT&T Center, San Antonio, Tex.
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Tonight’s Matchup: The San Jose Barracuda and San Antonio Rampage (Colorado Avalanche) duel for the fifth time this season on Sunday and the tilt will mark the final game between the two clubs at AT&T Center. San Jose and San Antonio will conclude their six-game season series at SAP Center on January 4. San Jose is 5-2-2-1 against the Rampage all-time and 2-1-1-1 in San Antonio. Despite the shootout loss on Saturday, San Jose has points in their last three-straight games and is 2-1-0-1 against the Rampage on the year.
Players To Watch: Danny O’Regan extended his point streak to a career-long four games with an assist on Saturday (2-4-6). O’Regan’s 17 points (7-10-7) is tops among all Barracuda skaters and t-first in the AHL among rookies.
Timo Meier recorded his first multi-goal game of his career Saturday and now is riding a three-game point streak (3-3-6). The former first-round selection by San Jose in 2015 (9th overall) leads the team in plus-minus (+8) and is second in penalty minutes (22). Meier had goals in three-straight games from November 12 to November 18. Through four games against San Antonio, Meier leads the team in points (3-3-6) and is tied in goals.
The first year American Hockey Leaguer Tim Heed is t-second on the team in points (4-9-13) and third in assists. His 13 points are good for 12th among blueliners in the AHL.
Welcome back: Both Kevin Labanc and Ryan Carpenter each returned to the Barracuda lineup Saturday after stints in the NHL and found the score sheet with an assist. Labanc had played his last 12 games in the NHL with the San Jose Sharks, registering four points (2-2-4) and a plus-four rating and had not been in the lineup for the Barracuda since November 6. Labanc now has 11 (4-7-11) points in seven AHL games and a plus-7 rating. Ryan Carpenter scored his first NHL goal on Wednesday against the Los Angeles Kings and helped set up John McCarthy on San Jose’s first goal of Saturday’s game. Carpenter now has eight points (2-6-8) in 13 games with the Barracuda this season and a plus-four rating.
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 allowed three goals on 24 shots on Saturday and is 4-1-0-2 on the year with a 3.09 goals-against average and a .900 save percentage. The former SHL goaltender is 1-0-0-1 in two starts against San Antonio. Armalis make 25 saves in a 3-1 win on November 6 at SAP Center against the Rampage.
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. 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 made 41 saves against the Barracuda on Saturday. It was the second time in as many starts against San Jose that the former Mississauga Steelhead (OHL) netminder had to make 41 saves to earn a victory. Martin in four games played against the Barracuda in his career is 3-0 with a 2.29 goals-against average and a 9.37 save percentage. Martin is 9-5-0-0 on the year with a 2.26 goals-against average and a .924 save percentage.
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.
About Last Night: The San Jose Barracuda (7-5-0-3) scored two third period goals, but their comeback attempt came to an end in a 4-3 shootout loss to the San Antonio Rampage (9-10-1-0) at AT&T Center on Saturday night.
San Jose opened up the scoring at 8:11 when Ryan Carpenter centered a pass from below the goal line to John McCarthy (2) who chipped the puck over the right arm of Spencer Martin from the top of the crease on a delayed penalty. Julien Nantel (2) would find the equalizer on the penalty kill at 10:27 after finishing off a 2-on-1 pass from Gabriel Bourque. The Rampage took their first lead of the game at 18:15 off the stick of Bourque (3) as the former Nashville draft pick beat Mantas Armalis under the right arm after receiving a drop pass from A.J. Greer in the slot. Despite trailing by a goal, San Jose outshot San Antonio 13-6 in the first.
In the second, San Jose went on the power play twice and put 17 shots on goal, but couldn't find the back of the net.
In the third, Timo Meier (5) tried to will his club to victory by first tying the game at 12:04 after Barclay Goodrow tripped as he went to the net and Meier backhanded the loose puck past Martin. Meier (6) then gave San Jose the lead at 17:35 by swiping a rebound past Martin from close range. The Barracuda seemed to be on the verge of victory until Joe Whitney (4) evened the score exactly one minute later as Martin left his net for an extra attacker.
Each team produced high-quality chances in overtime, but couldn't find the winner. In a shootout, Troy Bourke beat Armalis in the seventh round to earn San Antonio two points.