GAMEDAY: BARRACUDA AT HEAT
Dec 31, 2018
San Jose Barracuda (18-6-1-3 .714) vs. Stockton Heat (14-14-3-0 .500)
MONDAY, DECEMBER 31 | 5:00 P.M.
Stockton Arena | Stockton, Calif.
LISTEN | WATCH | GAME NOTES
Tonight’s Matchup: On Monday, the San Jose Barracuda and Stockton Heat (Calgary Flames) connect for the seventh time this season and the fourth in Stockton. San Jose is 5-1 against its Northern California this season and 3-0 in the Port City. Dating back to last season, San Jose has won five-straight at Stockton Arena.
Road Warriors: Despite falling 6-1 in its most recent road outing, the Barracuda still boasts the Pacific Division’s best road record (8-3-1-2 = .679) and best road goal-differential (+8).
Killin’ it: The Barracuda enter Monday with the AHL’s top penalty killing unit (87.5%). In the month of December, the Barracuda have gone 33-for-35 (.94%) on the kill.
Yo Joe: 20-year-old rookie netminder Josef Korenar has won his last six games and is first in the AHL in goals-against average (1.99), second in save percentage (.926) and is T-third in wins (12). In the month of December, Korenar has gone 5-0, with a 2.18 goals-against average, a .923 save percentage, and a shutout.
Francis on Fire: Acquired from the Ottawa Senators in the Erik Karlsson trade, Francis Perron is first on the Barracuda in points (27), goals (13), power-play goals (6), shooting percentage (29.5% 2nd in the AHL), game winning goals (3) and is T-third in plus/minus (+14). After potting a power-play goal on Friday, Perron has points (7g, 9a) in 11 of his last 14 games including four multi-point games over that stretch.
True or False? After recording just one goal over his first 13 games, Alex True has eight goals over his last 15, including six over his last 11 games. On December 16, True notched his first four-point (1g, 3a) game of his career and has 16 points (8g, 8a) over his last 15. True is T-first on the Barracuda in plus/minus (+15) and is second in both points (21) and goals (9) and is third in assists (12).
Gambrell Good: Rookie forward Dylan Gambrell scored last Friday and Saturday and now has goals in five of his last eight games. Gambrell has points (5g, 7a) in 11 of his last 13 and is second on the Barracuda in points-per-game (.86). Gambrell is currently on a four-game point streak (2g, 2a).
Hard Wood: Acquired in an offseason trade with the Arizona Coyotes, Kyle Wood leads the Barracuda in assists (17), fourth in plus/minus (+13) and is third in points (17). Wood, who was an AHL All-Star in 2016-17 and was named an AHL All-Rookie member after totaling 43 points (14g, 29a) with the Tucson Roadrunners, scored and added an assist on Thursday en-route to the game’s first-star.
Youth Movement: The Barracuda enter Thursday with the AHL’s second youngest roster (24.25) only behind the Tucson Roadrunners (23.71). The Barracuda are comprised of 13 AHL rookies and five sophomores. Just four players on San Jose’s AHL roster are Sharks draft picks.