GAMEDAY: BARRACUDA AT REIGN
Nov 1, 2017
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Tonight’s Matchup: On Wednesday, the Barracuda and Ontario Reign meet up for the first of eight meetings in 2017-18, and the first of four matchups in November. In 2016-17, San Jose went 5-2-1-0 against the Los Angeles Kings affiliate, and are 8-8-4-0 all-time against Ontario, and 3-5-2-0 at Citizens Business Bank Arena.
Tough Sledding: In seven games, the Ontario Reign have scored a league-low ten goals, and sit at the bottom of the AHL with a 1-6-0-0 record. Ontario earned its first win of the early campaign on Saturday at Cleveland, 2-1.
Helewka’s Hot Start: Through eight games, sophomore forward Adam Helewka is first on the Barracuda in assists (8), points (9), and plus/minus (+4). In 2016-17, his rookie season, Helewka totaled 29 points (14 goals, 15 assists) in 58 games with the ‘Cuda, and scored three times in 12 playoff games. In 2014-15, as a member of the WHL’s Spokane Chiefs, the Burnaby, British Columbia native was a Second-League All-Star after potting 44 goals and adding 43 assists. The Sharks drafted the 22-year-old in the fourth round of the 2015 NHL Draft.
Goaltending Depth: First-year Barracuda netminder Antoine Bibeau has been a steady option behind Troy Grosenick this season for San Jose. In four games played, Bibeau 1-2-0 with a 2.07 goals average (12th in the AHL), and a .925 save percentage (15th in the AHL). The fourth-year pro has appeared in 108 AHL games (Toronto/San Jose) in his career, going 57-35-11 with a 2.76 goals-against average, a .906 save percentage, and 11 shutouts.
Dazzling Danny: Danny O’Regan, the Red Garrett Memorial Award winner last year as the AHL’s Rookie of the Year, is first on the Barracuda in goals (5) and is second in points (7). O’Regan who played four years at Boston University collected 58 points (23 goals, 35 assists) a season ago, and also, appeared in three games for the Sharks where he scored his first NHL goal on April 8, 2016, against the Calgary Flames (David Rittich).
Sommer-Time: Returning for an AHL-record 20th season behind the bench for the San Jose Sharks top affiliate, Roy Sommer continues his historic career. In 2015-16, Sommer surpassed Fred ‘Bun’ Cook on the top the AHL’s all-time winning list and collected his first A.R. Pieri Memorial Award as AHL Coach of the Year in 2016-17. Sommer is 694-609-48-72-66 (W-L-T-OTL-SOL) in his career.