GAMEDAY: BARRACUDA AT SILVER KNIGHTS
Jan 29, 2021
BARRACUDA (2-1-0-1) at Silver Knights (0-0-0-0)
7 p.m. PT; (Listen live at SJBarracuda.com/listen and on the Sharks+SAP Center App)
The Barracuda continue their preseason slate tonight in Las Vegas as they take on the Henderson Silver Knights (Vegas Golden Knights) for the first time in franchise history. Tonight’s game can be heard live on the Sharks Audio Network via the Sharks+SAP Center App, at SJSharks.com/listen and at SJBarracuda.com/listen.
The Barracuda are coming off a 4-3 win at Tucson on Wednesday, improving to 2-1-0-1 during exhibition play. Tonight’s game marks the first of back-to-back against Henderson who will call the Orleans Arena home for the first two season of existence. The club will then move to a 6,000-seat arena being built right now at the Henderson Pavilion.
On March 2, 2020, the AHL Board of Governors approved the Vegas Golden Knights’ purchase of the San Antonio Rampage from Spurs Sports and Entertainment, and the relocation of the team to Henderson/Las Vegas for the 2020-21.
Henderson’s roster boasts a handful of top prospects including 2019 first-round pick Peyton Krebs and 2019 second-round pick Kaedan Korczak. The roster also includes six players who were selected in 2017, VGK’s inaugural draft class (F – Jake Leschyshyn, F – Jonas Rondbjerg, F – Lucas Elvenes, F – Jack Dugan, G – Jiri Patera, F – Ben Jones). Henderson’s roster also features Mason Primeau, the son of former Sharks forward Wayne Primeau. Mason was selected by Vegas in the 2019 NHL Draft (round 5, 141st overall).
In addition, to the draft picks, the Silver Knights roster will feature former Barracuda forward and 2016-17 AHL Rookie of the Year Danny O’Regan who signed an NHL contract this offseason with the Golden Knights. The Sharks & Barracuda connection goes beyond the players, former Sharks forward Joel Ward was hired as an assistant coach for the Henderson Silver Knights on Nov. 24, 2020.
Jaycob Megna, who is paired along with Ryan Merkley as the Barracuda’s top defensive combo tonight, spent all of last year with the Chicago Wolves, under contract with the Vegas Golden Knights. 13 players are on the Silver Knights roster currently who played in Chicago with the Wolves last year.
A projected Barracuda lineup can be found below:
92 Balcers – 70 True – 64 McGrew
89 Halbgewachs – 84 Letunov – 42 Kotkov
58 Hamaliuk – 60 Gallant – 93 Coe
80 S. Pasichnuk – 81 Hrabik – 78 Weinger
24 Megna – 6 Merkley
77 Cukste – 57 DeSimone
72 Reddekopp – 68 Russo
36 Sawchenko