GAMEDAY: BARRACUDA AT FIREBIRDS
Nov 28, 2023
SAN JOSE BARRACUDA (4-8-4-0) vs. COACHELLA VALLEY FIREBIRDS (9-6-0-0)
WED, NOV. 29 | 7:00 P.M. | Acrisure Arena | Palm Desert, CA
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On the Road Again: On Wednesday, for the first time since Nov. 5 and just the fifth time this season, the Barracuda hit the road as they kick off a three-game trip away from Tech CU Arena, beginning with a matchup against the Coachella Valley Firebirds at Acrisure Arena. The Barracuda are 0-1-1-0 against Seattle’s top affiliate this season and 0-6-2-2 lifetime, but have picked up points in four of the last six meetings. A season ago, in Palm Desert, the Barracuda went 0-1-1-2, picking up a point in each of the last three games.
Last Time Out: On Saturday afternoon, in the final game of a season-long seven-game homestand, the Barracuda led 2-0 against the Ontario Reign and put 44 shots on net but failed to hold their lead and would eventually fall, 4-2. In the loss, Jacob Peterson notched his second goal in his last three games, and Danil Gushchin snapped a five-game goalless drought. Rookie goaltender Erik Portillo made 40 consecutive saves after allowing two goals in the first to pick up the win.
Fire and Ice: In the first meeting of the season against the Coachella Valley Firebirds on Oct. 28 at Tech CU Arena, the Barracuda were dealt their worse loss of the year, 8-2. Firebirds captain Max McCormick collected five points (2+3=5) and three other players picked up multiple points. Danil Gushchin scored the Barracuda’s only two goals at 16:41 and 17:34 of the third after the Firebirds had already jumped out to an 8-0 lead. Chris Driedger made 33 saves. The following night, on Oct. 29, the Barracuda earned a point in a 5-4 overtime loss, but led by multiple goals on separate occasions. The Firebirds managed to tie the score on the power play at 17:35 of the third and then win it on the power play at 2:18 of overtime off the stick of rookie forward Shane Wright.
Firecracker: The Firebirds collected their third win in their last four games on Saturday, upending the Bakersfield Condors on the road, 4-2. Prior to this four-game stretch, Coachella Valley had lost three in a row, after collecting wins in five consecutive. Entering Wednesday, Coachella Valley has dropped three straight at home, getting outscored 15-4 during the stretch, and are just 2-5 at home this season which ranks 29th (.286) in the league. Coachella Valley is last in the AHL in home penalty-kill (68.8%) and 25th (13.0%) in home power-play and are a -6 at home compared to a +15 on the road. The Firebirds rank fifth in the AHL in goals for (3.53) and 15th in goals against (2.93).
Cuda Killer: Firebirds forward Kole Lind has a goal and two assists in two games against the Barracuda this season and now has 21 points (6+15=21) in 10 career games against San Jose. A year ago, he had a pair of game-winners against the Barracuda, including one in overtime. Lind, who scored 30 goals in 2022-23, has just three through his first 15 games this season.