GAMEDAY: BARRACUDA VS ROADRUNNERS (1-7-17)
Jan 7, 2017
Game #29 – San Jose (16-8-1-3) vs. Tucson Roadrunners (15-8-4-0)
Saturday, January 7, 2017
1:15 PM PST, SAP Center, San Jose, Calif.
LISTEN LIVE | WATCH LIVE | GAME NOTES
Afternoon Matchup: After suffering a 3-1 loss on Friday night, the San Jose Barracuda look to get back on track as the Tucson Roadrunners make their first ever trip to SAP Center.
Quick Note: After winning four-straight games from Dec. 20 to Dec. 28, the Roadrunners have now lost three straight including a 3-2 overtime loss to the Stockton Heat on Friday.
Special Group: The San Jose Barracuda killed off both Milwaukee power-play tries on Friday night and still sit atop the AHL on the penalty kill (87.9%). The Barracuda also rank within the top five in the league on the power play. On Wednesday, the Barracuda matched a season high with three power-play tallies and went 1-for-2 on Friday. San Jose is ranked third in the AHL on the man advantage (27.2%).
All-Star Nods: On Thursday the AHL announced that Barracuda Goaltender Troy Grosenick and rookie Forward Danny O’Regan had been named to the 2017 All-Star game, which will take place in Lehigh Valley at the end of the month. Grosenick is having a career campaign in his fourth season as a pro, posting a 9-6-1 record in 20 games played. The Brookfield, WI, native leads the AHL in shutouts (5), is T-14th in wins, fourth in save percentage (.928) and fifth in goals-against average (2.12). Amongst AHL rookies, O'Regan ranks second in points (32) and T-first in assists (21) and is third in points per game (1.15). He also ranks first on the Barracuda in points, second in assists and T-first in goals (11).
How Swede It Is: Among defenseman in the AHL, Barracuda Swedish blueliner Tim Heed ranks second in the league in points (31) and T-first in assists (22). He is also T-second in goals (9), T-first in power play goals (6), and first in game-winning goals (3). Heed is second on the Barracuda in points, first in assists, third in goals, first in power play goals, T-first in game-winning goals and T-second in plus/minus (+7). Heed is riding a five-game point streak (2+3=8) from Dec. 28 to now and has points in 10 of his last ten games (4+13=17).
San Jose's Last Time Out: Milwaukee Admirals forward Derek Army scored two goals on Friday after being loaned from the Wheeling Nailers (ECHL) the night before and San Jose only mustard one goal despite putting 40 shots on netminder Marek Mazanec. After Danny O’Regan had tied the game 1-1 in the second, Milwaukee's Justin Kirkland gave the Ads a 2-1 lead with less than a minute left in the frame and Army scored in the third to secure a 3-1 Milwaukee victory. Troy Grosenick took the loss after allowing three goals on 35 shots, and Mazanec earned the win by making 39 saves.
Tucson’s Last Time Out: Both the Stockton Heat and Tucson Roadrunners each exchanged a first-period goal, but in the second Christian Fischer gave the ‘Runners their first lead of the game. In the third Keith Aulie evened the score at two and extra time was needed. In OT, Mark Jankowski waited one minute and four seconds to beat Adin Hill to secure two points for the Heat, which moved Stockton ahead of Tucson in the Pacific Division. Hill took the loss after allowing three goals on 39 shots, while Jon Gillies recorded the win by making 31 saves on 33 shots.