GAMEDAY: BARRACUDA VS FIREBIRDS
Dec 29, 2022
SAN JOSE BARRACUDA (13-16-0-1) at COACHELLA VALLEY FIREBIRDS (18-6-3-0)
FRI, DEC. 30 | 6:00 P.M. | Tech CU Arena | San Jose, CA
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Firing Up: After a 5-1 loss to the Bakersfield Condors on Tuesday, the Barracuda continue its four-game homestand on Friday with the first of back-to-back games against the Coachella Valley Firebirds (Seattle Kraken). In the first ever matchup against the Firebirds on Dec. 9, the Barracuda gave up eight goals, including four on the power play, and were dealt an 8-3 loss. The Barracuda enter Friday having dropped its last six and are just 3-7 in December after beginning the month 2-0. The Firebirds have won three in a row and six of seven and are tied with the Calgary Wranglers for the top spot in the Pacific Division.
Road Warriors: The Firebirds enter Friday having played a league-high 19 road games this season and rank third in road winning percentage (.763). Coachella Valley has won its last three straight on visiting ice and are a +16 in road goal differential and average 3.63 goals for per game.
Tough Times: After beginning December 2-0, the Barracuda have just one win over its last eight games, allowing five goals per game during the stretch and have dropped six in a row. The Barracuda rank 31st in the league in goals (2.63) and 25th in goals against (3.47). Since beating the Tucson Roadrunners 6-0 on Nov. 20, the Barracuda have given up the first goal in 14 of its last 15, going 5-10 during the stretch.
Spiky Fish: The Barracuda rank second in the AHL in penalty minutes per game (19.67) and majors (20) and are first in minor penalties (180). Jeff Viel is second in the AHL in minors (21), third in penalty minutes (82), and T-fourth in majors (4).
Truth or Dare?: Former Barracuda and Sharks forward Alex True is in his second season within the Kraken organization after being Seattle’s Expansion Draft Pick from the Sharks in 2021. So far this year, True has 13 points (three goals, 10 assists) in 27 games with the Firebirds. The Denmark native is second in Barracuda franchise history in points (128), goals (59), assists (69) and is third in games played (128).
Player to Watch: After leading the AHL in scoring in 2021-22 with the Chicago Wolves and collecting his second Calder Cup championship, the Seattle Kraken signed veteran AHL forward Andrew Poturalski to a two-year, one-way contract this summer. The seventh-year pro, and former San Diego Gull, is pacing the Firebirds in scoring (8+22=30) through 27 games.
Rookie Arrivals: Rookie forward Thomas Bordeleau is leading all AHL freshmen in goals (14), T-first in power-play goals (6), and power-play points (12), and T-third in scoring (21). Fellow rookie William Eklund is T-third among first-year players in points (21). Bordeleau (12), Tristen Robins (9), Eklund (8), Danil Gushchin (8), Brandon Coe (3), and Ozzy Wiesblatt (1) have accounted for 41 of the Barracuda’s 79 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.