GAMEDAY: BARRACUDA AT FIREBIRDS
Apr 4, 2024
SAN JOSE BARRACUDA (21-32-9-3, 54 pts.) vs. COACHELLA VALLEY FIREBIRDS (40-14-5-4, 89 pts.)
THURS, APR. 4 | 7:00 P.M. | Acrisure Arena | Palm Desert, CA
LISTEN | WATCH | GAME NOTES | MEDIA KIT
Road Trippin’: The Barracuda continue their five-game road trip on Thursday in Coachella Valley and in the process close out their eight-game season series with the Firebirds (Seattle Kraken). The Barracuda are 1-4-1-1 versus Seattle’s top affiliate this season and 1-2 at the Acrisure Arena.
Wednesday Wrap: The Barracuda fell behind on three separate occasions on Wednesday before taking a pair of leads in the third, but were ultimately upended by the Gulls 6-5 in a shootout at the Pechanga Arena. In the loss, Filip Bystedt notched three points (2+1=3) and Kyle Rau also collected three points (1+2=3). Scott Sabourin and Ethan Cardwell also scored.
Fil the Thrill: Sharks 2022 first-rounder Filip Bystedt collected three points (2+1=3) on Friday, becoming just the third player in franchise history to score three points and two goals in his AHL debut (Dylan Gambrell ’18-19, Evan Weinger ’18-19). The 20-year-old is the youngest to accomplish the feat. Before joining the Barracuda, Bystedt skated in 47 games with Linkoping of the SHL, recording 17 points (8+9=17) and a plus-six rating.
Tommy Gun: Among AHL blueliners, Cuda defenseman Jack Thompson, who scored his first goal in a Barracuda sweater on Sunday, is first in power-play points (21), T-third in scoring (33), and T-seventh in power-play assists (18).
Full Deck: Ethan Cardwell notched his 20th goal of the season on Sunday, becoming the sixth rookie in the league to reach 20 goals this year, and the eighth freshman in franchise history to reach the 20-goal mark. Cardwell scored again on Wednesday and is now T-fourth in goals (21) and T-ninth in scoring (38) among league rookies. On the Barracuda, he is first in goals, second in game-winning goals (3), and power-play goals (5), and T-fourth in points.
Todd’s Time: Nathan Todd notched a pair of assists on Wednesday and is now up to a team-high 51 points. The 28-year-old has set personal bests this season in goals (18), assists (33), and points. Among Cuda skaters, he is either first or tied for first in multiple offensive categories, including scoring, power-play assists (14), power-play points (19), and T-first in power-play goals (5). He is also second in goals, shots (173), and helpers.
Cashing In: Cole Cassels became the eighth Cuda skater to reach double-digit goals when he potted a late second-period goal on Friday. Cassels is pacing the team in assists (34), T-first in power-play goals (5), and third in points (44).
Gush Going: Danil Gushchin collected an assist on Wednesday and in the process extended his point (2+7=8) and assist streaks to seven games. The second-year forward has eight more helpers than he did his rookie season, in 16 fewer games. Despite missing 13 games with an upper-body injury from Jan. 27 to Feb. 28, he ranks first on the team in shots (186), T-first in power-play goals (5), second in points (47), and fourth in assists (31).
Fish Fry: In the last meeting against the Firebirds on March 2 at Tech CU Arena, Georgi Romanov made a career-high 47 stops, but the Barracuda would fall 3-2 in a shootout to the Firebirds. Scott Sabourin and Brandon Coe scored for the Barracuda, while Jimmy Schuldt and Andrew Poturalski notched goals for the Firebirds before Devin Shore got the shootout winner.
Dynamic Duo: Over the last two years, Kole Lind and Max McCormick have combined for 38 points (18+20=38) in 15 games against the Barracuda. Lind ranks fifth in the AHL in scoring (59) and third in assists (44). In six games against the Barracuda this season, he has eight points (3+5=8). Max McCormick is 12th in points (52) and fourth in goals (28). Against the Barracuda this season, he has nine points (4+5=9) in seven games.