GAMEDAY: BARRACUDA AT SILVER KNIGHTS
Oct 21, 2023
SAN JOSE BARRACUDA (1-2-0-0) vs. HENDERSON SILVER KNIGHTS (3-0-0-0)
SAT, OCT. 21 | 1:00 P.M. | Dollar Loan Center | HENDERSON, NV
LISTEN | WATCH | MEDIA KIT | GAME NOTES
Knight’s Tale: After a 5-4 loss to the Henderson Silver Knights on Friday, the Barracuda turn around on Saturday afternoon to face the Knights again in Henderson. A year ago, the Barracuda went 6-1-0-1 against the Knights and 2-1-0-1 at the Dollar Loan Center. Since the HSK joined the AHL in 2020-21, the Barracuda are 9-14-0-2 and 2-10-0-1 when playing in Nevada. Saturday marks the second of three consecutive games against the Golden Knights’ affiliate.
Barracuda Breakdown: The Barracuda opened the season with 15 forwards, nine defense, and three goaltenders on their roster. Of the 25 players, seven were drafted by the organization (Tristen Robins - RD2/’20, Ethan Cardwell - RD4/’21, Adam Raska - RD7/’20, Brandon Coe RD - RD4/’20, RD3/’20, Gannon Laroque - RD4/’21). 11 hail from Canada, seven from the United States, five from Russia, two from Finland and one from Czechia, and Germany. In total, the Barracuda have a combined 716 games of NHL experience and 2,816 in the AHL. Amongst the 32 teams, the Barracuda rank as the fourth youngest (23.58), beginning the season with eight rookies on its roster and 12 players who appeared in at least one game for the team last season.
Barracuda Backup: In 2022-23, the Barracuda were held out of the playoffs for the second consecutive season, finishing the campaign eighth in the Pacific Division with a 31-34-2-5 mark (69 pts./.479). It was an 11-win improvement from 2021-22. A year ago, the Cuda ranked 28th in the AHL in goals-for (2.85) and goals-against (3.46), 24th on the power play (17.9%), and 16th on the penalty kill (81.3%).
Silver Lining: The Silver Knights are off to a 3-0 start for the second time in their four-year history. Veteran forward Sheldon Rempal, who scored the game-winning goal on Friday, was named the Howies Hockey Tape/AHL Player of the Week. A year ago, the Knights missed the postseason for the first time in its history, going 29-28-0-5 (63 pts./.438). Ryan Craig, who served as an assistant coach with Golden Knights from 2017-23, was named the head coach of the Silver Knights on June 26, 2023, replacing Manny Viveiros. Former Shark’ Joel Ward, who spent the last three years as an assist coach with Vegas’ AHL club under Viveiros, replaced Craig on the Golden Knights bench for the 2023-24 campaign.
Carpenter Connection: Ryan Carpenter, who began his career with the Sharks’ organization, signed a one-year deal this summer to return to the Bay Area. The Floridian ranks fifth in Barracuda history in points (97) and points in a single season (55, 2015-16). Carpenter, who has played 330 NHL games in his career, spent parts of two years with the Golden Knights from 2017-19, skating in 104 games for Vegas while collecting 32 points (14 goals, 18 assists). A year ago, in his first season back in the AHL since 2016-17 when he was with the Barracuda, he notched a career-best 21 goals as a member of the Hartford Wolfpack. Carpenter scored a pair of goals in the Barracuda’s win on Saturday, and now leads the team with three goals in the first three games.