GAMEDAY: BARRACUDA VS. EAGLES
Dec 27, 2018San Jose Barracuda (17-5-1-3 .731) vs. Colorado Eagles (15-9-3-1 .607)
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27 | 1:15 A.M.
SAP Center at San Jose | San Jose, Calif.
LISTEN | WATCH | GAME NOTES
Tonight’s Matchup: On Thursday, the San Jose Barracuda and Colorado Eagles (Colorado Avalanche) connect for the fourth of eight meetings in 2018-19 and the second at SAP Center. The Barracuda shutout out Colorado 5-0 in the only previous meeting at the Tank on November 18 before falling twice in extra time at Colorado in late November.
Home Sweet Home: Prior to Saturday, the Barracuda had won a franchise-record eight straight games on home ice and still boast the Western Conference’s best home winning percentage (9-2-0-1 = .792). In addition, the Barracuda have the second-best home goal differential (+20) in the league and have allowed a league-low 24 goals on home ice.
Dynamic Duo: Barracuda netminders Antoine Bibeau and Josef Korenar have combined for the AHL’s best goals-against average (2.35) and best save percentage (.919) thus far this season. The 20-year-old rookie, Korenar, is first in the AHL in goals-against average (2.06), second in save percentage (.926) and is T-third in wins (11). Bibeau, the CCM/AHL Goaltender of the Month in October, ranks 12th in the AHL in goals-against (2.65) average and T-eighth in save percentage (.914).
Francis on Fire: Acquired from the Ottawa Senators in the Erik Karlsson trade, Francis Perron is first on the Barracuda in points (26), goals (12), power-play goals (5), shooting percentage (29.3% 1st in the AHL), game winning goals (3) and is T-third in plus/minus (+15). After scoring the game-winner on Friday and adding an assist, Perron has points (6g, 9a) in 10 of his last 12 games including four multi-point games over that stretch.
True or False? After recording just one goal over his first 13 games, Alex True has eight goals over his last 13, including six over his last nine games. On December 16, True notched his first four-point (1g, 3a) game of his career and has 14 points (8g, 7a) over his last 13. True is first on the Barracuda in plus/minus (+17) and is second in points (20) and goals (9).
Gambrell Good: Rookie forward Dylan Gambrell scored on Friday and Saturday and now has goals in five of his last six games. Gambrell has points (5g, 5a) in nine of his last 11 and is third on the Barracuda in points-per-game (.84).
Hard Wood: Acquired in an offseason trade with the Arizona Coyotes, Kyle Wood leads the Barracuda in assists (16), second in plus/minus (+16) and is T-third in points (17). Wood was an AHL All-Star in 2016-17 and was named an AHL All-Rookie member after totaling 43 points (14g, 29a) with the Tucson Roadrunners.
Youth Movement: The Barracuda enter Thursday with the AHL’s second youngest roster (24.25) only behind the Tucson Roadrunners (23.67). The Barracuda are comprised of 13 AHL rookies and five sophomores. Just five players on San Jose’s AHL roster are Sharks draft picks.