GAMEDAY: BARRACUDA AT ROADRUNNERS
Apr 14, 2023
SAN JOSE BARRACUDA (29-34-2-5) vs. TUCSON ROADRUNNERS (30-31-8-1)
FRI, APR. 14 | 7:00 P.M. | Tucson Convention Center | Tucson, AZ
LISTEN | WATCH | GAME NOTES | MEDIA KIT
Final Two: Beginning Friday, the Barracuda close out the 2022-23 season with a pair of games in Tucson against the Roadrunners (Arizona Coyotes). The Barracuda are 3-2-0-1 versus the Coyotes top affiliate this season, having won three in a row after dropping the first three meetings of the year. At the Tucson Convention Center, the Barracuda are 1-1 this season and 10-6-1-2 all time.
Last Time Out: In its home finale on Saturday against the Colorado Eagles, the Barracuda fell behind 2-0 going into the third period and despite outshooting the Eagles 33-28 in the game, couldn’t mount a comeback, falling 4-0. Mitchel Vande Sompel scored twice for Colorado and Charles Hudon and Sampo Ranta potted empty netters. Justus Annunen collected his first shutout of the year and third of his career. With the regulation loss and Tucson’s overtime loss, the Barracuda were officially eliminated from Calder Cup playoff contention for the second consecutive year.
Tale of the Tape: The Barracuda and Roadrunners meet up for the seventh time on the eight-game season series on Friday. In the last meeting on Dec. 4 at Tech CU Arena, Andrew Agozzino scored twice, including his 200th AHL goal of his career in overtime, propelling the Barracuda to a 4-3 win. In the last visit to the Tucson Convention Center on Nov. 20, the Barracuda collected its most lopsided win of the year, claiming a 6-0 victory as Thomas Bordeleau became the first Barracuda skater to score a natural hat trick, burying the team’s final three goals. Eetu Makiniemi made 28 saves to pick up his first win in a Cuda sweater.
Roadrunners Roundup: The Roadrunners enter Friday having dropped five in a row (0-2-2-1) but hold the playoff tiebreaker over the Barracuda (regulation wins), despite the two teams being separated by just four points in the Pacific Division with two games to go. The Roadrunners will face either the Calgary Wranglers or Coachella Valley Firebirds in the first round of the Calder Cup Playoffs, which is set to begin early next week. Tucson is led by AHL First-Team All-Star, and MVP candidate, Michael Carcone who is pacing the league in points (84), shots (263), second in power-play goals (14) and power-play points (33), third in assists (53) and fifth in goals (31). Against the Barracuda, Carcone has 10 points (4+6=10) in five games.