GAMEDAY: BARRACUDA AT REIGN
Nov 23, 2022
SAN JOSE BARRACUDA (8-6-0-1) vs. ONTARIO REIGN (8-5-1-0)
WED, NOV 23 | 7:00 P.M. | Toyota Arena | Ontario, CA
LISTEN | WATCH | GAME NOTES | MEDIA KIT
Wednesday Night Rivalry: After exploding for six goals in a 6-0 win on Sunday at Tucson, the Barracuda continue their five-game road trip by making their first visit to the Toyota Arena to take on the Ontario Reign. A year ago, the Barracuda went 1-3 in Ontario and are 10-13-3-1 all-time on the road against the Reign. So far this year, the Barracuda are 1-1 versus the Kings’ top affiliate after a 4-3 shootout win in the last meeting on Nov. 10.
Reigny Day: Prior to its 3-2 win over Henderson on Sunday, the Reign had dropped five in a row (0-4-0-1). During the skid, Ontario average just 1.8 goals per game and were allowing 4.2 goals against per game. In the team’s first eight contests, in which the club went 7-1, the Reign average 3.75 goals for and 1.75 goals against.
Tale of the Tape: The Reign (2.64) and Barracuda (2.80) enter Wednesday’s game 5th and 6th in the AHL in goals-against. The Barracuda have the AHL’s second-best penalty kill (90.1), while Ontario ranks 6th (84.6) in the league while down a man. The Reign have the second-best home power play (36.0) in the A and have scored on the man-advantage in all but two home games this season. The Reign are 5-0-0-1 this year when they score first. Their only loss came at San Jose on Nov. 10.
Players to Watch: 2x defending AHL MVP T.J. Tynan has been held to no points in his last four games but still ranks fourth in the AHL in assists (14) and T-second in power-play helpers (8). Among defenders, Reign blueliner Jordan Spence is fifth in defensive scoring (0+13=13), second assists, T-first in power-play assists (8), T-second in shots (48). Ontario goaltender Matt Villalta is sixth in goals-against average (2.04) and fifth in save percentage (.930). After notching his first hat trick on Sunday, Cuda forward Thomas Bordeleau is now T-second among rookies in goals (7) and Barracuda goaltender Eetu Makiniemi is ninth in the AHL in goals-against average (2.27) and seventh in save percentage (.926).
Rookie Arrivals: Rookies Thomas Bordeleau (7), Tristen Robins (5), William Eklund (4), Danil Gushchin (3), Brandon Coe (2), and Ozzy Wiesblatt (1) have accounted for 22 of the Barracuda’s 40 goals scored this year (55%). The most among any team’s rookie class this season. Wiesblatt (Rd 1, 31st overall), Bordeleau (Rd 2, 38th Overall), Robins (Rd 2, 56th Overall), Gushchin (Rd 3, 76th Overall), and Coe (Rd 4, 98th Overall) were all part of the Sharks' historic nine-forward draft class in 2020.