GAMEDAY: BARRACUDA AT WRANGLERS
Nov 4, 2023SAN JOSE BARRACUDA (1-4-3-0) vs. CALGARY WRANGLERS (6-0-1-0)
SUN, NOV. 5 | 11:00 A.M. (PT) | Scotiabank Saddledome | Calgary, AB
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Calgary Connect: On Sunday afternoon the Barracuda and Wranglers square off for the second time over the weekend. After a 1-0 loss to Calgary on Friday afternoon, San Jose has now dropped six consecutive contests (0-3-3-0) and are 0-2-1-0 on the road. Of the six games, five have been decided by just a goal and three needed overtime. The Wranglers, who finished first in AHL last season with 106 regular season points, have picked up wins in five straight games and rank first in the AHL in winning percentage (7-0-1-0, .929). Calgary’s last six outings have been decided by just a goal and three have needed overtime.
Chrona Called Up: Magnus Chrona, who made a career best 34 saves on Friday afternoon in the Barracuda's 1-0 loss to the Wranglers, was called up to the Sharks on Friday night. In a corresponding move, Beck Warm was recalled from the Wichita Thunder of the ECHL. Warm is 2-3 with the Thunder, having won three of his last four. A season ago he led the ECHL with 28 wins as a member of the Cincinnati Cyclones.
Oh Canada: The Barracuda are 7-8-0-0 lifetime in Canada after going 2-4 last season in six games north of the border. In two contests at the Scotiabank Saddledome in 2022-23, the Barracuda went 0-2, getting outscored 12-2. Against the Wranglers, the Cuda failed to earn a win (0-3-0-1) in four attempts in 2022-23. Lifetime against Flames’ affiliates (Stockton/Calgary), the Barracuda boast a record of 35-30-5-3 and 17-15-3-2 on the road.
Wolf of Wall Street: Gilroy native Dustin Wolf, who was the AHL’s MVP last season and top goaltender the last two years, is back with the Wranglers in 2023-24. On Friday he made 27 stops to collect his eighth career blank sheet and his second against the Barracuda. He is now 12-0 against San Jose in his career. Last season he went 3-0 against the Barracuda, 1.00 goals-against average, .970 save percentage and one shutout. In 2022-23 he led the league in wins (42), shutouts (7), goals-against average (2.09) and save percentage (.932).
Wranglers Wrap: Aside from losing its leading scorer from a last season, Matthew Phillips, the Wranglers have nearly the identical team from a year ago that finished with a league best 106 points (51-17-3-1, .736). 13 players in its lineup on Friday played for the club a season ago. In 2022-23, Calgary ranked first in the AHL in goals against (87) and first on the penalty kill (85.1%). Phillips and Dustin Wolf were both named to the AHL’s First All-Star Team and head coach Mitch Love, who is now an assistant with the Washington Capitals, was the AHL’s coach of the year.
Gush Goin’: Before Friday, Danil Gushchin was riding a career-long five game points streak (3+8=11). In all five games he recorded notched at least two points and now has 17-career multi-point performances in his first 78 outings in the AHL. The sophomore forward ranks first on the Barracuda in helpers (9) and points (12), and second in goals (3). Among league leaders, he is T-third in points, T-fourth in assists (9) and T-first in shots (39). A year ago, among rookies, he was first in the league in shots (203), T-11th in goals (22), T-13th in points (45), T-10th in power-play goals (7), and 16th in shootout percentage (4/7=57.1%).
Bords is Back: The Sharks assigned forward Thomas Bordeleau to the AHL on Sunday after skating in six games up top to begin the year, notching a goal and an assist. Last season, as a rookie, he racked up 41 points with the Barracuda (22 goals, 19 assists) in 65 games. His nine power play goals were T-third in the AHL among freshmen and his 160 shots was seventh.