GAMEDAY: BARRACUDA VS GULLS
Oct 11, 2019SAN JOSE BARRACUDA (00-1-00-00) vs. SAN DIEGO GULLS (00-1-00-00)
FRIDAY, OCT. 11 | 7:00 P.M. | SAP CENTER at SAN JOSE | SAN JOSE, CA
LISTEN | WATCH | GAME NOTES | BIOS
Home Sweet Home: The Barracuda welcome the San Diego Gulls (Anaheim Ducks) to the SAP Center for their 2019-20 home opener on Friday night. Both teams began the season last Friday on the road and suffered losses.
Last Time Out: Despite putting 41 shots on net, including 21 in the second period, the Barracuda never could solve Ontario Reign goaltender Cal Petersen who dominated in between the pipes. Ontario ended the evening 2/4 on the power play and got goals from five different skaters as they cruised to an opening night win, 5-0, at the Toyota Arena last Friday.
Playoff Rematch: Last spring the Gulls ousted the Barracuda from the Calder Cup playoffs with a 3-1 series win in the divisional semi-final round. San Jose went 4-5-0-1 against San Diego during the regular season and 2-3 on home ice. In 2019-20, the two teams will collide a record 12 times.
Firepower: Both team’s top offensive producers from a year ago are back in the fold in 2019-20. Alex True paced the Barracuda in 2018-19 in points (55), goals (24) and plus/minus (+16). While San Diego’s Sam Carrick finished fifth in the AHL in goals (32) and led SD in goals, points (61), power-play goals (11), short-handed goals (3) and points-per-game (1.00).
Checker Charge: The Anaheim Ducks signed former Charlotte Checker’ and 2019 Calder Cup Champion and AHL playoff MVP Andrew Poturalski to a one-year deal on the second day of NHL free agency. Poturalski finished fifth in the AHL in points (70) last year and seventh in assists (47) and was named to the AHL’s second All-Star team at the end of the year.
Top of the Class: Since the Pacific Division was created before the 2015-16 season, the San Diego Gulls (154-95-15-8) and the San Jose Barracuda (147-90-19-16) hold the best two records in the division.
Moving Pieces: After the Sharks announced the signing of forward Patrick Marleau on Tuesday, they immediately placed forward Jonny Brodzinski on waivers and after he cleared, he was assigned to the Barracuda on Thursday. Brodzinski, 26, was an AHL All-Star in 2017 with the Ontario Reign and has appeared 156 AHL games (56+52=108) and 56 NHL games (6+5=11) over his five-year professional career.