Barracuda vs. Ontario Reign Preview

Mar 30, 2016

Tonight:
The San Jose Barracuda and the Ontario Reign (AHL affiliate of the LA Kings) meet for the 12th of 12 meetings this season, the 6th of six meetings at SAP Center.  The Barracuda are 2-6-3-0 vs. the Reign this season and are 2-6-3-0 in 11 career matchups.   The Barracuda have been outscored 18-27 by the Reign this season and are 2-2-1-0 vs. Ontario at SAP Center this season.  The Barracuda are 2-2-1-0 on their season long six game home stand which ends tonight vs. the Reign. Ontario has clinched a playoff spot and currently has the best record in the Western Conference as they begin a four game California road trip tonight in San Jose.

In case you missed it…
The San Jose Barracuda (28-22-7-3, 66pts) presented by Barracuda Networks fell to the San Diego Gulls (34-22-2-2, 72pts) by the score of 3-1 in front 3,939 fans at SAP Center on Easter Sunday in game five of a season long six game home stand.  San Jose outshot San Diego 35-18 but Ryan Carpenter was the only Barracuda skater to find the back of the net as Anton Khudobin made 34 saves for the Gulls.  The Barracuda had two goals disallowed as Antoine Laganiere (2-1-3) and Matt Bailey (1-1-2) had big games for the Gulls.

The Reign dropped a 4-2 decision to the Stockton Heat in Ontario on Saturday night.  Jonny Brodzinski and Kurtis MacDermid scored for the Reign while Peter Budaj allowed three goals on 26 shots in net for the loss.  Kevin Poulin made 35 saves for Stockton while Derek Grant (1-1-2) led the way offensively in the Heat win.

Barracuda Bites…
*PLAYOFFS…..San Jose is currently in 4th place in the Pacific Division with a .550 winning percentage and currently .001 percentage points behind the Charlotte Checkers for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.  If the 5th place team in the Central Division has a better winning percentage than the 4th place team in the Pacific – there would be a cross-over between the two divisions. (that is currently the case as the 5th place Checkers in the Central have a better winning percentage than the 4th place Barracuda in the Pacific). The Barracuda have eight games remaining on their regular season schedule (2 home, 6 road) including three games this week.

1. Roy Sommer  1998-current 18seasons 1,404GP  646 WINS
2. Fred “Bun” Cook 1937-56 19seasons 1,171GP 636 WINS
3. Frank Mathers 1956-85 18seasons 1,256GP 610 WINS
4. John Paddock 1981-2010  16seasons 1,125GP  589 WINS

*New Players…The Barracuda added two new players to the roster last week as Jon Martin (#71) and Mike Brodzinski (#75) each made their professional debuts for the Barracuda on March 26.   Jon Martin signed an entry level contract with the San Jose Sharks on March 2. Martin, 20, led the Swift Current Broncos with 69 points (38 goals, 31 assists) and posted 74 penalty minutes (two fighting majors) in 66 games in the Western Hockey League (WHL) this season. He ranked 9th in the league in goals and was named the WHL's Player of the Week for the week ending Oct. 18. He has posted career highs in goals, assists and points this season as Swift Current's captain.   Mike Brodzinski signed an ATO with the San Jose Barracuda on 3/26 after playing three seasons with the U. of Minnesota. Brodzinski, 20, finished his junior season ranking 1st among University of Minnesota defensemen in points (21), goals (8) and assists (8) in 37 games. His 11 power-play points ranked 1st on the team, and he set a career highs in goals, assists, points, penalty minutes and games played, while being named to the Big Ten Second All-Star Team this season. Other accolades in his third year with Minnesota include being named the Big Ten Second Star of the Week (Oct. 27), being named to the Mariucci Classic All-Tournament Team, becoming the first Big Ten defenseman to tally a hat trick (Jan. 23), and became just the second defenseman in league history to be named the first star of the week (Jan. 26).

*Breaking down March…. The Barracuda have a 5-4-1-0 (11 points in 10gp) record in March with 29 GF and 22 GA.  PP is 10-54 (18.5%); opponent’s power play is 4-36 (11.1%); and the Barracuda have 7 fighting majors in March.

*Streakers….  the Barracuda have scored a power play goal in three straight games (5-17)… for the Reign: Jonny Brodzinski (3-0-3) has a three game point streak… Jeff Schultz (1-1-2) has a two game streak and Peter Budaj has made 15 straight starts in goal (11-3-1).

*30 goal scorer added… the Barracuda received Jeremy Morin in the trade that saw Alex Stalock and Ben Smith go to Toronto on Feb 27.  Morin had 30 goals with Rockford in 67 AHL games in 2012-13.  The 24 year old from Auburn, NY has played in 82 games in the NHL with Chicago and Columbus.  Morin has eight points (3-5-8) in 10 games for the Barracuda so far since the trade.

*PK Improving… the Barracuda had not allowed a power play goal in a season high seven straight games from Jan 3 – Jan 16 (17-for-17 on the kill) and have a penalty kill success rate of 89.0% (98-110) since Jan 3.

*16 shots against… the Barracuda allowed a season low 16 shots in a 3-2 overtime loss to the Ontario Reign on March 16.

*Bros… Alex Gallant’s older brother Brett plays for the Lake Erie Monsters in the AHL…. Mike Brodzinski’s older brother Jonny plays for the Ontario Reign.

Important #’s:
  San Jose  Ontario
Goals For 2.82 – 15th 2.82 – 15th
Goals Agst 2.77 – 11th 2.05 – 1st
Shots For 29.67 – 17th 31.60 – 9th
Shots Agst  30.00 – 14th  24.77 – 2nd
PIMS 12.32 – 26th 15.67 – 9th
Fighting Majors 33 – 21st 47 – 12th

Broadcast:
Tonight’s San Jose Barracuda game can be heard live on AM 1220 KDOW, online at www.kdow.biz, and a video stream (for a fee) through AHL Live.  Fans can listen inside the SAP Center at 102.1 FM.

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