GAMEDAY: BARRACUDA VS GULLS (2-8-17)
Feb 7, 2017Game #40 – San Jose Barracuda (24-11-1-3) vs. San Diego Gulls (24-12-2-2)
Wednesday, February 8, 2017
7:00 PM PST, SAP Center, San Jose, California
LISTEN LIVE | WATCH LIVE | GAME NOTES
Tonight’s Matchup: Two of the hottest teams in the American Hockey League collide on Wednesday night at SAP Center when the San Jose Barracuda take on the San Diego Gulls. The Barracuda are riding a franchise long five-game winning streak while the Gulls have won six straight themselves and have points in 12 straight. San Jose’s .737 winning percentage at home (13-4-1-1) is the third best in the league and best in the Pacific Division, while the Gulls have the sixth best road winning percentage in the league at .650 (12-6-1-1) and first in the Pacific Division.
Best Of The West: For the first time in team history, the San Jose Barracuda sit atop the Pacific Division. San Jose is riding a franchise-long five game winning and are ranked second in the Western Conference and fourth in the league.
First Time For Everything: Barracuda forward Marcus Sorensen and defenseman Joakim Ryan were recalled to the San Jose Sharks for the first time on Monday. Sorensen made his NHL debut for the Sharks in Buffalo on Tuesday recording one point (0+1=1), a plus-one rating, two shots, and seven minutes and 45 seconds of ice time.
Straight To The Banc: The San Jose Sharks reassigned Kevin Labanc to the Barracuda on Monday. The 20-year-old forward has 14 points (7+7=14) in 40 gamess with the Shakrs, 16 penalty minutes and a plus-four rating. In just nine AHL games this season, the rookie forward has 15 points (5+10=15), 18 penalty minutes, plus-nine rating and is riding an eight-game point streak.
How Swede It Is: The San Jose Sharks reassigned Tim Heed to the Barracuda on Tuesday. The Swedish blueliner is has appeared in just 33 games in the AHL, but among defenseman ranks third in points (11+25=36), second in assists, fourth in goals, T-second in power-play goals (8) and T-first in game-winning goals (4). Heed has played in one game for the Sharks this season.
Shining Star: Danny O’Regan scored three times in last Monday’s AHL All-Star Classic in Lehigh Valley and among rook- ies, the former Boston University product is now second in points (14+24=38), T-first in assists, seventh in goals, and ninth overall in the AHL in points. O’Regan is first on the Barracuda in points, second in goals and second in assists.
All World: Barracuda All-Star netminder Troy Grosenick is riding a season-long five game winning streak and is first in the AHL in shutouts (6), second in goals-against average (2.13) and is first in save percentage (.929).
Let’s Go Streaking: Both Nikolay Goldobin and Barclay Goodrow are both riding four-game point streaks, and before Saturday, both forwards had goals in three straight. Goodrow leads the Barracuda in goals (15), while Goldobin is just one of three Barracuda players with 30-plus points (11+22=33).
San Jose’s Last Time Out: The San Jose Barracuda weathered a late Manitoba rally to beat the Moose 5-4 on Saturday night at MTS Centre in Winnipeg. The Moose jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first, but Adam Helewka (10), John McCarthy (10), Danny O’Regan (14) and Buddy Robinson (8) all tallied to give San Jose the large lead. In the third, Kyle Connor got the Moose back within one as he scored a pair of goals to make it 4-3. Marcus Sorensen (13) extended San Jose lead to 5-3 with an empty netter, but Quinton Howden (11) scored 11 seconds later for the Moose. San Jose held in the final minute and 45 seconds to earn their fifth straight win. Troy Grosenick made 36 saves on 40 shots in the victory.
San Diego’s Last Time Out: The Gulls made it six wins in a row with a 4-2 victory over the Bakersfield Condors at Rabobank Arena on Tuesday night. Anton Laganiere (13, 14) netted a pair of goals while Kalle Kossila (10) and Ryan Garbutt (3) also scored for San Diego. Jhonas Enroth earned his ninth-straight win by making 18 saves on 20 shots.