GAMEDAY: BARRACUDA VS ROADRUNNERS
Feb 8, 2025SAN JOSE BARRACUDA (23-14-2-3, 51 pts.) vs TUCSON ROADRUNNERS (20-19-2-1, 41 pts.)
SAT, FEB. 8 | 2:00 P.M. | TECH CU ARENA | SAN JOSE, CA
LISTEN | WATCH | GAME NOTES | MEDIA KIT
Matinee Matchup: On Saturday afternoon, the Barracuda drop the puck on the second game of a two-game set with the Tucson Roadrunners (Utah Hockey Club). SJB was dealt a 4-3 loss to the Roadrunners on Friday night, snapping a seven-game home point streak. A year ago, the Barracuda went 3-5 versus Utah’s affiliate and 2-2 at Tech CU Arena. Shakir Mukhamadullin led the way with 10 points (2+8=10) in six games, while Tucson’s Aku Raty had 10 points (4+6=10) in seven games, including a four-point effort (3+1=4) on Dec. 20, 2023, in San Jose. The Barracuda have a lifetime record of 27-19-3-4 versus the Roadrunners.
By the Numbers: The Barracuda are 10-5-1-2 in the second game of back-to-back this season, 8-4-0-1 after a regulations loss and 6-5-1-0 in games starting before 4 p.m.
Home Cooking: Despite Friday’s loss, the Barracuda still have the AHL’s fifth-best home record (15-5-1-2, .717%). Saturday is the final game of a season-long seven-game homestand. The Barracuda have gone 3-1-1-1 during the home stretch so far.
Friday Final: Despite jumping out to a 2-0 lead, the Barracuda fell into penalty trouble on Friday, aiding Tucson’s comeback in an eventual 4-3 loss. In the defeat, Thomas Bordeleau, Pavol Regenda, and Brandon Coe scored, while Yaroslav Askarov suffered the loss in his first AHL action since Dec. 14.
All About Asky: The Sharks reassigned top goalie prospect Yaroslav Askarov back to the AHL on Sunday, just in time for his third consecutive AHL All-Star Classic. The 22-year-old is pacing the AHL in save percentage (.934), second in goals-against average (2.14), and T-second in shutouts (3). In 13 games with the Sharks this season, he has gone 4-6-2 with a 3.10 GAA, and .896 SV%.
Hot Pot: The Sharks recalled Andrew Poturalski on Tuesday. The nine-year vet skated in his seventh and eighth NHL games on Tuesday and Thursday. Before the call-up, he was pacing the league in points (45), T-third in power-play goals (8) and assists (27), and T-sixth in goals (18).
Major Movement: Following the trade of Mikael Granlund and Cody Ceci to the Stars, the Sharks recalled Collin Graf, Shakir Mukhamadullin, and Andrew Poturalski from the Barracuda on Sunday. In a corresponding move, the Barracuda recalled Braden Hache and Mitchell Russell from Wichita and signed veteran forward Rem Pitlick for the remainder of the season.
Pick of the Litter: The Barracuda signed forward Rem Pitlick for the remainder of the 2024-25 season. During his five-year pro career, the native of Ottawa, Ontario, has dressed in 132 games in the NHL with the Nashville Predators, Minnesota Wild, Montreal Canadiens, and Blackhawks, collecting 54 points (21 goals, 33 assists), and 54 penalty minutes. Additionally, he has skated in 148 AHL games with the Milwaukee Admirals, Chicago Wolves, Laval Rocket, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, and Rockford, posting 125 points (55 goals, 70 assists), 90 penalty minutes, plus-25 rating. The 27-year-old was part of the multi-player, three-way trade between the Sharks, Pens, and Habs that included Erik Karlsson. In that deal, he was sent from the Canadiens to the Penguins.
Luca Lightning: 20-year-old rearguard Luca Cagnoni notched his 11th goal of the year on Friday and seventh on the power play. Among rookies, Cagnoni is first in power-play points (18), and T-first in power-play goals (7), and power-play assists (11) and T-sixth in points (27). Among all skaters, he is third in power-play points.