GAMEDAY: BARRACUDA AT HEAT
Dec 31, 2021
SAN JOSE BARRACUDA (10-13-1-0) vs STOCKTON HEAT (18-2-2-1)
FRI, DEC. 31 | 1:00 P.M. | STOCKTON ARENA | STOCKTON, CA
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Heat is On: After a pair of postponements due to COVID-19, the Barracuda return to the ice on New Year’s Eve, marking their first action since Dec. 22. Their opponent, the Stockton Heat, enter Friday’s game with a 7-0-0-1 record over its last eight games and sit atop the Western Conference. The Heat are 2-0 against San Jose so far this year, outscoring the Barracuda 14-2, including a 10-1 win the last meeting on Dec. 7.
Heat Check: The Stockton Heat sit at the second spot in the AHL with a 18-2-2-1 record. Their power-play is sixth-best in the league (21.5%) and their penalty-kill ranks first (90.5%). In the Heat’s 10-1 win over the Barracuda on Dec. 7, the club went 3-for-5 on the power-play, and Bryon Froese and Glenn Gawdin each notched hat-tricks.
Sparkling Special Teams: The Barracuda’s power-play ranks seventh in the league (21.2 %) entering Friday but are 0-for-7 in two games against the Heat. On the flip side, San Jose has allowed a power-play goal in 12-straight games and 20 of its 24 outings this year. Before last Tuesday, the Barracuda had collected five shorthanded goals over its last four games which ranks T-first in the AHL. Against the Heat, the Barracuda are 5-for-9 on the PK.
Reedy Rolling: Rookie forward Scott Reedy ranks first among all AHL skaters in power-play goals (8), first in shooting percentage (13/37=35.1%), and tied for second in goals (13). Prior to turning pro, Reedy led the Minnesota Golden Gophers in goals the last two seasons. Reedy has four points (2+4=6) in the last five games.
Sommer Time: Head Coach Roy Sommer returns for his AHL-best 24th season in 2021-22 and his 26th within the Sharks organization. The Oakland, Calif. native has been behind the bench for 1,697 games, going 798-692-48-160 (W-L-T-OTL/SOL) over that span. During the 2015-16 season, the Barracuda’s first in San Jose, Sommer surpassed Fred “Bun” Cook (636 wins) for the most wins in AHL history in a 4-2 win over the Ontario Reign on Feb. 10, 2016.