GAMEDAY: BARRACUDA VS ROCKFORD
Oct 13, 2023SAN JOSE BARRACUDA (0-0-0-0) vs. ROCKFORD ICEHOGS (0-0-0-0)
FRI, OCT. 13 | 7:00 P.M. | Tech CU Arena | San Jose, CA
LISTEN | WATCH | GAME NOTES | MEDIA KIT | ROCKFORD GAME NOTES
Open for Business: The Barracuda open the 2023-24 season on Friday against the Rockford IceHogs at Tech CU Arena. It marks the first time the Sharks’ affiliate will open the season at home since 2018-19, when they hosted the Ontario Reign (4-1 W) to begin the year. The Barracuda are 3-4-1-0 in openers and 1-1 on home ice. In 2022-23, the Barracuda began the season with a 4-3 SOW in Iowa against the Wild, the first season-opening win since they beat Ontario in 2018.
Barracuda Breakdown: The Barracuda open the season with 15 forwards, nine defense, and three goaltenders on their roster. Of the 25 players, seven were drafted by the organization (Tristen Robins - RD2/’20, Ethan Cardwell - RD4/’21, Adam Raska - RD7/’20, Brandon Coe RD - RD4/’20, RD3/’20, Gannon Laroque - RD4/’21). 11 hail from Canada, seven from the United States, five from Russia, two from Finland and one from Czechia, and Germany. In total, the Barracuda have a combined 716 games of NHL experience and 2,816 in the AHL. Amongst the 32 teams, the Barracuda rank as the fourth youngest (23.58), beginning the season with eight rookies on its roster and 12 players who appeared in at least one game for the team last season.
Rock N Roll: Friday marks the first of four meetings on the season against the Rockford IceHogs (Chicago Blackhawks). It’s also the first time the Sharks and Blackhawks farm teams will square off since 2017-18 when Rockford swept a two-game season series. The Barracuda are 1-3 all time against the IceHogs, with the only win coming on Jan. 15, 2016, in Rockford. San Jose’s first game in franchise history came against the IceHogs on Oct. 9, 2015, at the SAP Center at San Jose. All time against the Central Division, the Barracuda are 12-6-0-0 and 6-3-0-0 at home. A year ago, the Barracuda went 4-4-0-0 against the Central Division and 1-3 at home.
Barracuda Backup: In 2022-23, the Barracuda were held out of the playoffs for the second consecutive season, finishing the campaign eighth in the Pacific Division with a 31-34-2-5 mark (69 pts./.479). It was an 11-win improvement from 2021-22. A year ago, the Cuda ranked 28th in the AHL in goals-for (2.85) and goals-against (3.46), 24th on the power play (17.9%), and 16th on the penalty kill (81.3%).
Rockford Replay: The IceHogs finished fifth in the Central Division last year out of seven teams, reaching the postseason for the second consecutive year after going 35-28-5-4 (79 pts./.549%). Anders Sorensen returns for his second full season as head coach of the Hogs after taking over on an interim basis in November of 2021. Rockford’s leading scorer from a year ago, David Gust (26+33=59), and leading goal scorer, Luke Philp (29+24=53), both return to the Rock in 2023-24, although Philp will begin the year on IR with a shoulder injury. The IceHogs ranked 23rd in the league in goals-for (2.97), 21st in goals-against (3.22), 29th on the power play (16.3%) and 24th on the penalty kill (79.0%) in 2022-23. 13 players return to the IceHogs that played for the team last season, while 2020 first rounder Lukas Reichel and former Lightning draft picked Cole Guttman made the Blackhawks out of camp after spending most of last season in the AHL. Rockford has 472 games of NHL experience on its roster and 2,413 in the AHL.
Carpenter Connection: Ryan Carpenter, who began his career with the Sharks’ organization, signed a one-year deal this summer to return to the Bay Area. The Floridian ranks fifth in Barracuda history in points (94) and points in a single season (55, 2015-16). Carpenter, who has played 330 NHL games in his career, spent parts of three years with the Blackhawks from 2019-22, skating in 168 games for Chicago while collecting 31 points (10 goals, 21 assists). A year ago, in his first season back in the AHL since 2016-17 with the Barracuda, he notched a career-best 21 goals as a member of the Hartford Wolfpack.