GAMEDAY: BARRACUDA AT ROADRUNNERS
Apr 20, 2024SAN JOSE BARRACUDA (23-34-10-4, 57 pts.) vs. TUCSON ROADRUNNERS (43-23-3-2, 91 pts.)
SAT, APR. 20 | 7:00 P.M. | Tucson Convention Center | Tucson, AZ
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Roadrunners Wrap: On Saturday, the Barracuda wrap up the 2023-24 season with the second game of a back-to-back with the Tucson Roadrunners (Arizona Coyotes). After Friday’s 5-1 loss, the Barracuda are 2-5 versus the Roadrunners this season and 0-3 at the Tucson Convention Center.
Last Time Out: The Barracuda jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first period on Friday night at the Tucson Convention Center but managed just 13 shots after that point and would fall 5-1 to the Roadrunners. Scott Sabourin notched his 18th of the year at 15:36 of the first but was later given an aggressor penalty (game-misconduct) in the second period for an altercation with former Barracuda defenseman Montana Onyebuchi. With the game tied in the third at 1-1, Tucson would score a pair of goals within a minute and then tack on two more to roll to the win. Aku Raty, Max Szuber, Cameron Hebig, Nathan Smith, and Ben McCartney all found the back of net for the Roadrunners.
Roadrunners Rolling: Tucson enters Saturday having won a season-long six in a row and four in a row at home. If the standings were to hold through the weekend, Tucson would host the Calgary Wranglers in a best-of-three series to begin the Calder Cup Playoffs. On Friday, the Coyotes assigned forwards Josh Doan, Dylan Guenther, and Aku Raty to the AHL, along with defensemen Michael Kesselring and Vlad Kolyachonok. Despite not playing in the AHL since March 24, Doan is first among rookies in goals (26), first in power-play goals (10), T-first in game-winning goals (8), and T-sixth in points. Netminder Matt Villalta is first in the league in wins (31), minutes played (3048), and second in saves (1328).
Fil the Thrill: Sharks 2022 first-rounder Filip Bystedt picked up an assist on Saturday and now has six points (2+4=6) in his first seven games with the Cuda. The 20-year-old collected three points (2+1=3) in his AHL debut on April 3 in San Diego, becoming just the third player in franchise history to score three points and two goals in his AHL debut (Dylan Gambrell ’18-19, Evan Weinger ’18-19). Before joining the Barracuda, Bystedt skated in 47 games with Linkoping of the SHL, recording 17 points (8+9=17) and a plus-six rating.
Incoming Call: The Sharks recalled forward Danil Gushchin, defenseman Jack Thompson, and goaltender Georgi Romanov following the Barracuda’s game on Saturday. Before being recalled, Gushchin was riding a four-game goal streak, one shy of the franchise record. On Monday, Gushchin was named the AHL's Player of the Week after collecting six points (3+3=6) in three games for the period ending on April 14. In the AHL, he has points in 11 of his last 12 (6+11=17). On Monday, he scored the Sharks' first goal in a loss to the Oilers and now has four points (2+2=4) in five career NHL games. Thompson, who the Sharks acquired from the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Anthony Duclair trade, is first among AHL blueliners in power-play points (24) and power-play assists (21), fifth in assists (35), and T-eighth in points (41). Romanov had allowed two or fewer goals in three of his last four games and had a 1.70 goals-against and .955 save percentage during that stretch before receiving the call-up. Romanov made his NHL debut in relief on Monday in Edmonton, making 15 saves on 16 shots in 26:11 of action.
Full Deck: Ethan Cardwell scored twice on Wednesday, his first multi-goal game of his career, and in the process matched the franchise record for goals (23) in a season for a rookie. Among AHL freshmen, he is fourth in goals, fifth in shots (165), and T-ninth in points (43). Since March 16, Cardwell has 14 points (8+6=14) in his last 15 games.
Todd’s Time: Nathan Todd potted his 50th career AHL goal on Wednesday and added a pair of assists. He is now just one goal shy of 100 in his pro career (AHL: 50, ECHL: 49). Wednesday was his sixth three-point game of the season and 11th ever. The 28-year-old has set personal bests this season in goals (19), assists (35), points (54), power-play goals (6), and shots (183). Among Cuda skaters, he is T-first in scoring, assists, and power-play goals, and third in goals.