GAMEDAY: BARRACUDA AT SILVER KNIGHTS
Jan 25, 2023
SAN JOSE BARRACUDA (17-21-0-2) vs. HENDERSON SILVER KNIGHTS (15-24-0-3)
WED, JAN. 25 | 7:00 P.M. | Dollar Loan Center | Henderson, NV
LISTEN | WATCH | GAME NOTES | MEDIA KIT
Henderson Hookup: After matching a season-high with six goals in Friday’s 6-0 win over the San Diego Gulls at Tech CU Arena, the Barracuda embark on a three-game road trip beginning Wednesday in Henderson. San Jose is 4-1 against the Silver Knights this season and are coming off a 4-3 shootout win in the last matchup on Jan. 4. Wednesday’s game is the first of two versus the Golden Knights affiliate over the next three days and the fifth on the eight-game season series. The Barracuda are 1-1 at the Dollar Loan Center, getting shutout 5-0 in the last visit on Dec. 14.
Silver Lining: On Jan. 4 at Tech CU Arena the Barracuda got goals from Luke Johnson, Jeff Viel, and Jasper Weatherby, along with 32 saves from Aaron Dell, and a shootout winner from Johnson to take down the Silver Knights, 4-3. The win at the time snapped an eight-game losing skid and avenged a 5-0 loss against the Silver Knights on Dec. 14. On Dec. 14, at Dollar Loan Center, the Barracuda gave up first-period goals to Byron Froese, Mason Primeau, and Pavel Dorofeyev, before Ivan Morozov and Froese scored again within the first 44 seconds of the second and Laurent Brossoit made 31 saves to pick up the 5-0 shootout win.
Deep Dive: The Barracuda enter Wednesday having won back-to-back games, while the Silver Knights have dropped consecutive outings by a goal, both at Colorado last Saturday and Sunday. The Barracuda have played two fewer games to the Silver Knights’ league-high 42, but have a three-point edge for the seventh and final playoff spot in the Pacific Division. The Silver Knights begin a season-long six-game homestand on Wednesday and are in the midst of a stretch in which they will play nine of their next 12 at home. The Barracuda are just 1-11 all-time on the road against the Silver Knights between the regular season and playoffs, earning its first-ever win on Nov. 25 (5-2 W). Entering Wednesday, the Silver Knights have won a season-high three in a row at home. Henderson is 30th (2.64) in the AHL in goals, ninth in goals against (2.86), and 12th (29.79) in shots against. In addition, the Silver Knights are 27th in the AHL on the power play (15.6) and fourth on the penalty kill (84.6), and first at home (88.9) on the PK. Henderson has been on the penalty kill 143 times this year, second-fewest in the Pacific Division and 25th in the league. Only the San Diego Gulls (190) have been on the penalty kill more than the Barracuda (184) this year. The Barracuda are T-31st (2.55) in the AHL in goals for and 24th in goals against (3.40).
Power of Pouliot: Former Silver Knight Derrick Pouliot returned to the Barracuda lineup last Saturday after a 24-game absence due to an upper-body injury suffered on Nov. 16 against San Diego. The Barracuda are 9-5-0-1 with Pouliot in the lineup this year and 8-16-0-1 without him. In addition, when #55 has played this season, the Barracuda are 92% (58/63) on the PK as opposed to 74% (145/181) without him.
Resounding Rookies: Barracuda All-Star Thomas Bordeleau is T-first among all AHL freshman in goals (18), first in power-play goals (8), and power-play points (16) and is T-fifth in scoring (28), along with fellow teammate William Eklund. Bordeleau (18), Eklund (11), Tristen Robins (9), Gushchin (9), Brandon Coe (3), and Ozzy Wiesblatt (1) have accounted for 51 of the Barracuda’s 102 goals scored (50%), the most among any 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.