GAMEDAY: BARRACUDA VS EAGLES
Jan 4, 2025SAN JOSE BARRACUDA (18-10-0-2, 38 pts.) vs COLORADO EAGLES (16-9-1-2)
SAT, JAN. 4 | 6:00 P.M. | TECH CU ARENA | SAN JOSE, CA
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Home for the Holidays: After a stretch of eight of nine away from home, the Barracuda kick off a three-game homestand on Saturday with back-to-back games versus the Colorado Eagles (Avalanche). The Barracuda split a two-game series against the Avs affiliate back on Nov. 9 and 10 at Tech CU Arena. Entering Wednesday, the Barracuda are T-third in home winning percentage (10-3-0-1, 21 points, .750%).
Colorado Connection: The Barracuda snapped a 12-game winless drought versus the Eagles in the last meeting on Nov. 10, 5-3, at Tech CU Arena. In the win, Georgi Romanov made 31 saves, while Tristen Robins scored a pair, and Donavan Houle, Ethan Frisch, and Andrew Poturalski also chipped in with goals. The Barracuda finished the game two-for-five on the power play.
Ringing in the New Year: The Barracuda twice erased one-goal deficits in the third period on Wednesday night at the Pechanga Arena before upending the Gulls, 4-3, in overtime. Lucas Carlsson notched a pair of goals in the game, including the game-winner at 3:29 of the extra session. Tristen Robins and Donovan Houle scored in the third to keep the Barracuda alive, while Georgi Romanov collected the win by making 24 saves. The Barracuda did not go on the penalty kill in the game for the second time in their last five outings.
Sparkling Special Teams: The Barracuda enter Saturday first in the AHL on the penalty kill (88.4%) and second on the power play (22.0%). San Jose is also T-second in the league in shorthanded goals (6). On Wednesday, the Barracuda did not take a single penalty. It was the second time in their last five games in which they did not go on the PK in a game.
Carlsson Cooking: Lucas Carlsson scored twice Wednesday, including the overtime winner. The veteran rearguard now has four goals in his last three games. Among league defenders, he is T-third in goals and T-second in power-play goals (4). The veteran blueliner has surpassed his power-play totals from a year ago in 36 fewer games.
Calling Collin: The Sharks placed William Eklund on IR on Tuesday and in a corresponding move recalled Collin Graf from the Barracuda. Before his recall, Graf ranked T-first among AHL rookies in points (26) and first in assists (20). On Thursday, in his Sharks season debut, he played alongside Will Smith and Macklin Celebrini.
Hot Pot: Veteran forward Andrew Poturalksi scored twice on Saturday and now has 10 points (3+7=10) in his last seven games. Poturalski is T-fifth in the AHL in scoring (31), T-eighth in goals (12), and T-fourth in power-play goals (5). The ninth-year pro is pacing the Barracuda in points, goals, points-per-game (1.03), second in assists (19), and third in shots (73).
High Card: Ethan Cardwell notched a pair of assists on Wednesday and now has five apples in his last three games and 12 in his last nine outings. Cardwell is T-sixth in the league in assists (18) and is just two assists shy of matching his assist total from a year ago in 49 fewer games. Cardwell has also skated in six NHL games with the Sharks, scoring his first NHL goal on Nov. 29 against Seattle.
Luca Lightning: Rookie defenseman Luca Cagnoni ranks T-fourth among AHL defenders in points (22), T-second in goals (8), T-seventh in helpers (14), T-second in power-play goals (4), second in power-play assists (9), and second in power-play points (13).