GAMEDAY: BARRACUDA AT SILVER KNIGHTS
Mar 20, 2021
SAN JOSE BARRACUDA (6-4-4-0) at HENDERSON SILVER KNIGHTS (11-2-0-0)
SAT., MAR. 20 | 1:00 P.M. | Orleans Arena | Las Vegas, NV
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Knight and Day: For the first time in the regular season, the Barracuda square off with the Henderson Silver Knights (Vegas Golden Knights) on Saturday at 1 p.m. at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The game marks the first of two over the weekend between the two teams and the first of eight on the season series. After embarking on a five-game road trip, Henderson returns back home for the first time in March and are expected to have up to half capacity inside its 9,500-seat arena.
Blichfeld Boiling: Joachim Blichfeld lit the lamp for the third-straight game on Wednesday and now has goals in six of his last seven (eight goals during the six games). Blichfeld ranks second in the AHL in goals and 11th in shots (43) and is pacing the Barracuda in goals, points (13), shots, first goals (2) and is tied for first in power-play goals (2) and insurance goals (1).
Friendly Faces: The Silver Knights roster and staff feature a pair of Sharks alumni. Danny O’Regan, the AHL’s Rookie of the Year with the Barracuda in 2017, is in his first season within the Golden Knights organization after signing this offseason as a free agent. And Joel Ward, former Sharks’ forward, is in his first season as an assistant with the Silver Knights.
Moving Pieces: On Friday, the Sharks announced the recall of defenseman Christian Jaros and the reassignment of defenseman Nick DeSimone. In addition, the team recalled goaltender Josef Korenar and reassigned goaltender Alexei Melnichuk. The Sharks also reassigned forward Ivan Chekhovich to the Barracuda from the KHL (Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod) where he collected 34 points (17+17=34) in 43 games. Chekhovich is expected to make his AHL season debut on Saturday.
Rookie Rising: Sharks’ 2018 first-rounder Ryan Merkley netted his first pro goal last Friday and now leads all Barracuda rookies in scoring (1+6=7) and is tied for first among all rookie defenseman in assists. Merkley led the OHL the two previous seasons in assists among league d-men.