GAMEDAY: BARRACUDA AT REIGN (GM 1, RD 1)
Apr 23, 2025SAN JOSE BARRACUDA (36-26-5-4, 81 pts., 6th PAC) vs. ONTARIO REIGN (43-25-3-1, 90 pts., 3rd PAC)
BEST-OF-THREE SERIES: 0-0
THURS, APR. 24, 2025 | 7:00 PM | CRYPTO.COM ARENA | LOS ANGELES, CA
LISTEN | WATCH | GAME NOTES | MEDIA KIT
Back in Business: The Barracuda kick off a best-of-three, first-round series against the Ontario Reign on Thursday at Crypto.com Arena. SJB went 3-4-0-1 during the regular season against the Kings’ affiliate, including a 2-1-0-1 record on the road. This opening-round matchup marks the second time—and the first since 2016—that the Barracuda and Reign will meet in the postseason. Ontario claimed the only previous series, 3-1.
Playoff Punch: The Barracuda are back in the playoffs for the first time since the 2020–21 season and return to the Calder Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2018–19. In their last Calder Cup appearance, they fell 3-1 to the San Diego Gulls in a best-of-five opening-round matchup. The Barracuda’s most recent playoff series win came in 2016–17, when they defeated San Diego 4-1 in a best-of-seven Conference Semi-Final.
Deep Dive: The Barracuda roster features 12 players with Calder Cup Playoff experience, totaling 270 games. Ontario’s lineup includes 16 players who’ve combined for 113 Calder Cup Playoff games. Notably, Andrew Poturalski and Jimmy Schuldt—key contributors to Coachella Valley’s back-to-back Calder Cup Final appearances—have paired for 140 AHL postseason contests. Poturalski is a two-time Calder Cup champion (Charlotte ’19, Chicago ’22), winning the latter alongside current teammate Joey Keane. Ontario captain Joe Hicketts also brings championship pedigree, having won the Calder Cup with Grand Rapids in 2017. Barracuda forward Colin White played in 21 Stanley Cup Playoff games with Florida in 2023, helping the Panthers reach the Finals.
Do the Cagn Cagn: Twenty-year-old defenseman Luca Cagnoni finished just three points shy of the AHL’s defenseman scoring title, tallying 52 points in 64 games. The rookie rearguard led all skaters in power-play points (24), ranked second in power-play assists (23), and tied for fourth in power-play goals (11). Among defensemen, he ranked third in both points and goals (16),and tied for fifth in assists (36). Named to the AHL’s All-Rookie Team, the Burnaby, B.C. native set new franchise records this season in goals and power-play goals by a defenseman. In addition to his time with the Barracuda, Cagnoni skated in six games with the Sharks, collecting two assists. During his three WHL seasons with the Portland Winterhawks, he notched 23 points (5+18–23) in 33 games.
Hot Pot: Barracuda forward Andrew Poturalski earned his third John B. Sollenberger Trophy in 2024–25 as the AHL’s leading scorer. The First Team AHL All-Star becomes just the third player in league history to win the award three times, joining AHL Hall of Famers Bill Sweeney (1960–63) and Peter White (1994–98). Poturalski, who also led the league in scoring in 2020–21 and 2021–22, finished the season with a league-best 73 points—including a career-high 30 goals—in just 59 games, despite missing the final nine contests. He also recorded one assist in three NHL games with the Sharks. A native of Williamsville, N.Y., Poturalski is a two-time Calder Cup winner (Charlotte 2019, Chicago 2022) and reached the Finals in both 2023 and 2024 with Coachella Valley. His 30 goals and 72 points are both Barracuda single-season records.
Dan the Man: The 2024–25 season was a breakout year for third-year pro Danil Gushchin, who set career highs in goals (28), power-play goals (14), shots (218), and shooting percentage (12.8%). From March 7 to March 28, he recorded points in nine straight games—the second-longest streak in team history. During that span, he also scored in five straight (March 16–26), tying John McCarthy’s franchise record. Gushchin is the Barracuda’s all-time leader in points (150), goals (70), and assists (80). His 14 power-play goals this season not only set a franchise record but also led the league, helping San Jose finish the regular season with the AHL’s top power play (24.0%).
Powering Up: The Barracuda finished the regular season with a league-best 24.0% success rate on the power play. Danil Gushchin led the AHL in power-play goals (14), while Andrew Poturalski finished tied for second (13). Luca Cagnoni led the league in power-play points (34). The Barracuda also led the league in power plays drawn (287) and total power-play goals (69)—a new single-season franchise record.
Full Pipes: The Barracuda used eight players during the 2024–25 season who were drafted by the organization, including four picks in the last two years (Luca Cagnoni, Filip Bystedt, Igor Chernyshov, and Quentin Musty). Seventeen players split time between the Sharks and Barracuda, including U23 skaters Yaroslav Askarov (G), Ethan Cardwell (F), Luca Cagnoni (D), Jack Thompson (D), and Collin Graf (F).