GAMEDAY: BARRACUDA AT ROADRUNNERS
Dec 2, 2023
SAN JOSE BARRACUDA (5-9-4-0) vs. TUCSON ROADRUNNERS (11-6-1-1)
SAT, DEC. 2 | 6:00 P.M. | Tucson Convention Center | Tucson, AZ
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Desert Duel: After a 5-1 loss on Friday to the Roadrunners, the Barracuda close out their three-game road trip at the Tucson Convention Center on Saturday night for the second game of the two-game series. After Friday’s defeat, the Barracuda are now 0-5 when coming off a win and 0-8 in the first game of back-to-back against the same team. The Barracuda are 3-1-3-0 in the second game of back-to-back against the same club. A season ago, the Barracuda went 5-2-0-1 against the Coyotes’ affiliate, winning the final five straight, including the final three consecutive games at the Tucson Convention Center after beginning the year 0-2-0-1.
No Fun Friday: On Friday the Barracuda gave up a season-high four goals and put a season-low three shots on net in the first period and couldn’t recover, falling 5-1 to the Tucson Roadrunners at the Tucson Convention Center in the first matchup of the eight-game seasons series. Rookie forward Josh Doan (8, 9) opened the scoring on a penalty shot at 1:34 and then he buried another goal at 11:02 while on the power play. Zach Sanford and Travis Barron would also score in the first, before Victor Soderstrom would cash in again on the power play in the second to make it 5-0. Ethan Cardwell scored the Barracuda’s only goal of the game in the third on the power play, but Matt Villalta would ride the run support the rest of the way to pick up his league-leading 10th win of the year.
Tucson Temp: After Friday’s win, the Roadrunners are now 8-3-1-1 since November 1 and have a record of 11-0-0-1 when scoring the game’s first goal. The five goals notched on Friday matched a season-high and the four-goal opening period was the most scored in a period this year. Despite the offensive outburst, Tucson still ranks 28th in the AHL in goals for (2.58) but sixth in goals against (2.74). Former Kings prospect and now Roadrunners goaltender Matt Villalta ranks first in the AHL in wins (10), minutes played (948:24), saves (460), seventh in save percentage (.926), and T-11th in goals-against average (2.34). Tucson is 4-4-0-1 at home this season and have a -5 rating, compared to a road record of 7-2-1-0 and a +2 goal differential.
King Leon: Barracuda defenseman Leon Gawanke collected his fourth-career three-point game (1+2=3) on Wednesday in Coachella Valley and is now T-fourth among league defenders in points (14). Before Friday, Gawanke had recorded five points (1+4=5) in his last two games and is now first on the team in power-play points (5), power-play assists (4), T-first in assists (11), and second in points and shots (49).
Gush Goin’: Sophomore forward Danil Gushchin scored for the second consecutive game on Wednesday and now co-leads the team in goals (6), is first in points (15), and first in shots (75). Against Tucson last season, he led the team in goals (6) and ranked second in points (10) in eight games.
Father Like Son: Josh Doan, who scored twice on Friday, is the son of former Coyotes captain Shane Doan. The rookie forward leads the Roadrunners in goals (9), power-play goals (4), and game-winning goals (4). Among rookies, he is second in goals, T-second in power-play goals and first in GWG. Josh played two years at Arizona State and was drafted by the Coyotes in the second round (37th overall) of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft.