GAMEDAY: BARRACUDA AT GULLS
Apr 2, 2024
SAN JOSE BARRACUDA (21-32-9-2, 53 pts.) vs. SAN DIEGO GULLS (23-31-8-0, 54 pts.)
WED, APR. 3 | 7:00 P.M. | PECHANGA ARENA | SAN DIEGO, CA
LISTEN | WATCH | GAME NOTES | MEDIA KIT
Road Trippin’: The Barracuda continue their five-game road trip on Wednesday in San Diego and in the process close out their four-game season series with the Gulls (Anaheim Ducks). The Barracuda are 3-0 versus Anaheim’s top affiliate this season and 1-0 at the Pechanga Arena.
Sunday Funday: The Barracuda jumped out to a 3-0 lead on Sunday afternoon at the Scotiabank Saddledome and never looked back, downing the Calgary Wranglers, 4-1, behind 30 saves from Georgi Romanov. In the win, Ethan Cardwell, Jack Thompson, Danil Gushchin, and Nathan Todd (EN) all scored and the Barracuda closed out the eight-game season series with the Wranglers going 5-3.
Air and Sea: In the last meeting versus the Gulls, the Barracuda collected a 6-4 win on March 20 at Tech CU Arena. Defensemen Nikolai Knyzhov (1+1+2), Shakir Mukhamadullin, and Valteri Pulli (0+2=2) all finished with multiple points and Jack Thomson and Ethan Frisch also collected assists. Eetu Makiniemi made a career-high 22 saves in the third period and 30 in the game after replacing Georgi Romanov who allowed four goals on 11 shots in 29 minutes and 39 seconds of action. The Barracuda are 3/10 (30%) against the Gulls and 8/10 on the penalty kill (75%).
Duck Duck Gulls: After a 7-3 loss at Tucson on Saturday, the Gulls have dropped six of seven entering Wednesday and stand one point ahead of the Barracuda in the Pacific Division. San Diego, who begins a three-game homestand on Wednesday, has lost four in a row at home and is a -26 at the Pechanga Arena this season. The Gulls boast the second-best power play (21.7%) and 29th penalty kill (78.1%) and are led by former Barracuda captain Andrew Agozzino who is T-ninth in the AHL in scoring (53), and T-third in power-play goals (13).
Tommy Gun: Among AHL blueliners, Cuda defenseman Jack Thompson, who scored his first goal in a Barracuda sweater on Sunday, is T-first in power-play points (20), T-third in scoring (32), and T-seventh in power-play assists (17).
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. Among league rookies, he is T-fifth in goals (20) and T-ninth in scoring (37). 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 scored on Sunday and is now up to a team-high 49 points. The 28-year-old has set personal bests this season in goals (18), assists (31), 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, and shots (171), and is T-second in 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 (33), T-first in power-play goals (5), and third in points (43).
Gush Going: Danil Gushchin collected a goal and an assist on Sunday and in the process extended his point (2+5=8) and assist streaks to six games. The second-year forward has six more helpers than he did his rookie season, in 17 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 (185), T-first in power-play goals (5), second in points (46), and fourth in assists (29).