GAMEDAY: BARRACUDA AT FIREBIRDS
Jan 9, 2023
SAN JOSE BARRACUDA (15-19-0-1) vs. COACHELLA VALLEY FIREBIRDS (22-6-3-1)
TUES, JAN. 10 | 7:00 P.M. | Acrisure Arena | Palm Desert, CA
LISTEN | WATCH | GAME NOTES | MEDIA KIT
Firing Up: After a 4-0 loss to the Coachella Valley Firebirds on Saturday, the Barracuda continue its four-game roadie with another matchup against Coachella Valley at Acrisure Arena on Tuesday. The Barracuda are 0-4 against the Kraken’s top affiliate, getting outscored 20-4 in the four meetings and have just one goal in its last three games versus the Firebirds. On Saturday, CV got goals from Brogan Rafferty, Alex True, Cameron Hughes and Carsen Twarynski and 39 saves from Joey Daccord.
Opening Act: Since opening up Acrisure Arena on Dec. 18, the Firebirds are 5-1-0-1 in its new 9,918-seat barn and are now 7-3-0-1 when serving as the home team. The Firebirds began the first two and half months of the season on the road, playing its first four home games at various facilities (Climate Pledge Arena, Kraken Community Iceplex, Angel of the Winds Arena).
Hot Stove: Coachella Valley enters Tuesday with points in nine straight games (8-0-0-1) and sit atop the AHL with a .750 winning percentage (22-6-3-1). Coachella Valley had its eight-game winning streak snapped on Sunday, falling 3-2 to the Ontario Reign in a shootout. The Firebirds are third in the league in goals for (3.75), seventh in goals against (2.75), and seventh in shots against. Netminder Joey Daccord is T-third in wins (13) and T-second in shutouts (3).
Sluggish Starts: The Barracuda have scored the first goal of the game in just two of its last 20 outings, going 7-13 during the stretch. So far this year, SJ have netted the first goal in just 11 of its 35 contests, tied for the fewest in the league with the Cleveland Monsters. In addition, the Barracuda have a -27 goal-differential in the first period, which ties with the Belleville Senators for the worst first-period goal-differential in the league. Against the Coachella Valley Firebirds, the Barracuda have given up the first goal in all four contests and have not led at any point.
Spiky Fish: The Barracuda rank first in the AHL in minor penalties (206) and second in times shorthanded (165), penalty minutes per game (18.91), and majors (22). Jeff Viel is second in the AHL in minor penalties (25), penalty minutes (95), and fourth in majors (5).
Rookie Arrivals: After a pair of goals on Friday, rookie forward Thomas Bordeleau is now pacing all AHL freshmen in goals (17), power-play goals (8), and power-play points (14) and is T-third in scoring (24). Fellow rookie William Eklund is T-fourth among first-year players in scoring (8+15=23) and Danil Gushchin is T-third in power-play points (11), and first in shots (102). Bordeleau (17), Tristen Robins (9), Eklund (8), Gushchin (8), Brandon Coe (3), and Ozzy Wiesblatt (1) have accounted for 46 of the Barracuda’s 88 goals scored (52%), the most among any 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. The Barracuda are the sixth youngest team in the AHL (24.37). In comparison, the Firebirds are the second oldest club in the league (25.96).