GAMEDAY: BARRACUDA AT WRANGLERS
Nov 5, 2022SAN JOSE BARRACUDA (4-2-0-1) vs. CALGARY WRANGLERS (3-5-0-0)
SUN., NOV 6 | 4:00 P.M. | Scotiabank Saddledome | Calgary, AB
LISTEN | WATCH | GAME NOTES | MEDIA KIT
Oh Canada: The Barracuda make their first and only trip to Calgary for a pair of games beginning on Sunday at the Scotiabank Saddledome. Lifetime, San Jose is 5-3 when playing in Canada after going 2-2 in Abbottsford a year ago. In six seasons against the Stockton Heat, the Barracuda boasted a 35-26-4-3 mark versus the Flames’ top affiliate, including a record of 17-12-3-2 on the road. A year ago, the Barracuda were 1-7-1-0 against the Pacific Division Champs. Beginning Sunday, SJ will play five games over the next seven days and a franchise record 13 in the month of November.
On the Road Again: The Barracuda have dropped its last three games (0-2-0-1) after beginning the year 4-0, but are 2-0 on the road this campaign, with both wins coming in Iowa to begin the season. Calgary is 1-3 at home and is coming off its first home-ice victory on Friday against Tucson, 3-2. Prior to friday, the Wranglers had yet to lead in a game at home.
California to Calgary: On May 23, 2022, the Calgary Flames announced it’d be moving its AHL club from Stockton, CA, to Calgary, AB, Canada, and on Aug. 2, 2022, the Flames revealed the team would be called the Calgary Wranglers. The name was once used by the Western Canadian Junior Hockey League (WCHL) team, existing from 1977-to-1987. During the shortened Covid-19 campaign (2020-21), the Heat temporarily relocated to Calgary.
Notable Names: After reaching the Western Conference Finals a year ago and racking up 97 points, best in the Pacific Division, the Wranglers welcome back several pieces from its 2021-22 squad, including the AHL’s Top Goaltender (Baz Bastien Memorial Award) from a year ago Dustin Wolf, the club’s leading point and goal scorer Matt Phillips, 2019 first rounder and AHL All-Rookie Team member Jakob Pelletier, 2020 first-rounder Connor Zary, former Barracuda defenseman Nick DeSimone, and the AHL’s Top Coach (Louis A.R. Pieri Award) from last year Mitch Love. The Wranglers lost some notable names this offseason too, including the team’s third leading goal scorer from 2021-22 Justin Kirkland (Anaheim/San Diego), fourth leading goal scorer Luke Philp (Chicago/Rockford), third leading point scorer Glenn Gawdin (Anaheim/San Diego) and captain Bryron Froese (Vegas/Henderson). The team also lost defensemen Juuso Valimaki (Arizona), Kevin Gravel (Nashville/Milwaukee) and Andy Welinski (Rangers/Hartford). The Wranglers did add former Sharks and Barracuda d-man Nicolas Meloche, veteran Brett Sutter, former Golden Knights prospect Ben Jones, and veteran netminder Oscar Dansk.
Killing It: The Barracuda boast the best penalty kill in the AHL entering Sunday (96.7%), giving up just a single goal on 30 opposing power plays. The Barracuda began the season a perfect 25-for-25 on the PK, the best start in franchise history and were just three kills away from matching the team’s franchise watermark for consecutive penalties killed off. After just scoring one power-play goal in its first four games (1/14=7%), the Barracuda enter Sunday with a PPG in each of its last three outings (3/13=23%).
Rookie Arrivals: Rookies Thomas Bordeleau (4), Tristen Robins (3), Brandon Coe (2), William Eklund (2), and Danil Gushchin (1) have accounted for 12 of the Barracuda’s 18 goals scored this year (.67%). The most among any team’s rookie class this season. Bordeleau (Rd 2, 38th Overall), Robins (Rd 2, 56th Overall), Gushchin (Rd 3, 76th Overall) and Coe (Rd 4, 98th Overall) were all part of the Sharks historic nine-forward draft class in 2020.
Fighting Fish: After wracking up a franchise record 86 penalty minutes on Saturday against Tucson, the Barracuda now rank second in the AHL in PIMS-per game (25.86), T-first in majors (7), and misconducts (4).
Cool Down: After losing consecutive games in regulation just two times last year, the Calgary Wranglers already have two multi-game regulation losing streaks in its first seven games this season. Additionally, netminder Dustin Wolf who allowed just 2.35 goals-against per game last campaign, has given up 3.30 goals-against this year through his first six games, including being pulled for the first time in his career on Oct. 16 against Coachella Valley. A year ago, the Heat allowed a league-low 185 goals (2.72) but have given up 29 through its first seven games (3.88, 23rd in AHL).