GAMEDAY: BARRACUDA VS CANUCKS
Jan 15, 2023SAN JOSE BARRACUDA (15-21-0-2) vs. ABBOTSFORD CANUCKS (22-10-1-1)
SUN, JAN. 15 | 1:00 P.M. | Tech CU Arena | San Jose, CA
LISTEN | WATCH | GAME NOTES | MEDIA KIT
Tale of the Tape: After a 5-1 loss on Saturday to the Abbotsford Canucks (Vancouver Canucks) at Tech CU Arena, the two clubs turn right around and square off again on Sunday afternoon. After Saturday’s defeat, SJ is now 0-3 versus the Canucks this season, and have dropped four straight (0-3-0-1) overall. Dating back to last season, the Barracuda have dropped five in a row (0-4-1-0) to Abby and three in a row (0-2-1-) at home.
Saturday Summary: The Barracuda gave up three goals in the second period on Saturday, including a pair on the power play, falling 5-1 to the Abbotsford Canucks at Tech CU Arena. In the game, the Cuda went 0/6 on the power play and even failed to capitalize on a third-period penalty shot, while managing to kill off just two of Abbotsford’s four man-advantages. Jeff Viel scored the Barracuda’s only goal in the second period, tying the game at 1-1, but Abbotsford got goals from Kyle Rau, Linus Karlsson (PP), Phil Di Giuseppe (PP), Danila Klimovich, and Archdeep Bains (EN) to earn their third consecutive win. In three games against the Canucks, the Barracuda have been outscored 17-6, have gone 2/14 on the PP (14.3%) and 7/12 on the PK (58.3%)
About Abbotsford: After beginning the year with a 7-7-1-1 record through its first 16 games, the Canucks are 15-3-0-0 in its last 18 and enter Sunday with an 8-2 record in its last 10 and have wins in three straight. Abbotsford boasts a 10-7-1-0 record on visiting ice, third best winning percentage in the Pacific Division (.583). The Canucks are seventh in the AHL in goals for (3.62) and 10th in goals against (2.97). Additionally, Abby ranks second in the league in shots against (27.35) and have the league’s sixth best power play (23.4). The Canucks are 11-0-0-0 when leading after the first period, 14-0-0-1 when leading after the second period, 10-2-1-1 in one-goal games and have the second-best winning percentage in the league when scoring first (12-1-0-1=.893). Among AHL clubs, the Canucks have been on the PK just 124 times (28th) which ranks first in the Pacific Division. Canucks defenseman Christian Wolanin, the team’s 2023 AHL All-Star Classic representative, is first in the AHL in assists (37), power-play assists (18), and T-third in points. Among AHL defenders, he is T-first in points, first in power-play assist, power-play points (19), and assists.
Head-to-Head: The Barracuda are 3-7-1-0 all-time versus Vancouver’s affiliate and 1-3-1-0 at home. Sunday will be the second game of four between the teams over San Jose’s next eight. Phil Di Giuseppe (3+3=6), Justin Dowling (2+4=6) and Christian Wolanin (0+6=6) lead the way with six points in three games of head-to-head play, and goaltender Arturs Silovs is 2-0 with a 1.50 GAA and .940 SV%.
Sluggish Starts: Despite scoring the first two goals on Wednesday in San Diego, the Barracuda have scored the first goal of the game in just three of its last 23 outings, going 7-15-0-1 during the stretch. So far this year, SJ have netted the first goal in just 12 of its 39 contests, tied for the fewest in the league. In addition, the Barracuda have a -28 goal-differential in the first period, which is also at the bottom of the AHL.
Spiky Fish: The Barracuda rank first in the AHL in minor penalties (219) and second in times shorthanded (176), penalty minutes per game (18.76), and majors (25). Jeff Viel is second in the AHL in minor penalties (26), penalty minutes (97), and fourth in majors (5).
Rookie Arrivals: Barracuda All-Star Thomas Bordeleau is pacing all AHL freshmen in goals (17), power-play goals (8), and T-first in power-play points (14) and is T-fifth in scoring (25), along with fellow teammate William Eklund. Bordeleau (17), Tristen Robins (9), Gushchin (9), Eklund (9), Brandon Coe (3), and Ozzy Wiesblatt (1) have accounted for 48 of the Barracuda’s 93 goals scored (51%), the most among any rookie class this season. Wiesblatt (Rd 1, 31st overall), 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. The Barracuda (24.37) and Canucks (25.54) are the youngest teams in the Pacific Division.