GAMEDAY: BARRACUDA VS GULLS
Nov 16, 2022SAN JOSE BARRACUDA (6-5-0-1) vs. SAN DIEGO GULLS (5-8-0-0)
WED, NOV 16 | 7:00 P.M. | Tech CU Arena | San Jose, CA
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Land and Sea: After splitting a pair of games with the Colorado Eagles this past weekend, the Barracuda wrap up its four-game home stand on Wednesday with the first meeting of the season against the San Diego Gulls (Anaheim Ducks). A year ago, the Barracuda went 1-7 against the Gulls and 0-4 at home. Lifetime, SJ is 13-16-1-2 versus the Ducks' top affiliate and 13-16-1-2 in the Bay Area. In total, San Jose and San Diego will face off four times this season.
Return of Roy: After being named the head coach of the Gulls this offseason, Roy Sommer returns to San Jose for the first time as an opposing coach on Wednesday. During his 24 seasons guiding the Sharks' top AHL affiliate, the Oakland native helped guide over 150 players to the NHL and coached an AHL record 1,742 games, and picked up 808 wins.
Key to Victory: The Barracuda are 5-0-0-1 this season when scoring 3+ goals. When giving 4+ goals, they are 0-3-0-1. During the team’s five-game skid, the Cuda scored 3+ goals just once. San Jose has scored a combined three goals over its last three games and now ranks 31st in the AHL in goals for (2.33). The Gulls rank 23rd in the AHL in goals for (2.92), being held to two or fewer goals on six different occasions this year. Entering Wednesday, the Barracuda are 24th in shots for (28.42) and 30th in shots against (32.50). The Gulls rank 22nd in shots for (28.62) and 30th in shots against (33.15).
A Flock of Seagulls: After claiming the Pacific Division’s final playoff spot a year ago, the Gulls lost a handful of notable names from its 2021-22 team including the club’s leading scorer Alex Limoges (Winnipeg Jets), former Sharks and Barracuda defenseman Trevor Carrick (Tampa Bay Lightning), and veterans Brogan Rafferty (Seattle Kraken), Vinni Lettieri (Boston Bruins), Jacob Larsson (Ottawa Senators), and former Barracuda forward Buddy Robinson (Chicago Blackhawks). The team did add former Panthers, Avalanche, and Predators forward Rocco Grimaldi, along with former Stockton Heat forwards Justin Kirkland and Glenn Gawdin. Additionally, Chase DeLeo resigned with the Ducks this offseason after a year within the Devils' organization
Killing It: Despite giving up a power play goal on Sunday, the Barracuda still boast the AHL’s best penalty kill (92.5%). San Diego holds the second-best penalty kill in the AHL (88.1%). San Jose began the season a perfect 25-for-25 on the PK, the best start in franchise history, and was just three kills away from matching the team’s watermark for consecutive penalties killed off.
Rookie Arrivals: Rookies Tristen Robins (5), Thomas Bordeleau (4), Brandon Coe (2), William Eklund (2), Danil Gushchin (2), and Ozzy Wiesblatt (1) have accounted for 16 of the Barracuda’s 25 goals scored this year (64%). The most among any team’s 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.