GAMEDAY: BARRACUDA VS FIREBIRDS

Jan 22, 2025

SAN JOSE BARRACUDA (20-13-1-2, 43 pts.) vs COACHELLA VALLEY FIREBIRDS (21-13-1-4, 47 pts.)

WED, JAN. 22 | 7:00 P.M. | TECH CU ARENA | SAN JOSE, CA

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Home Sweet Home: On Wednesday, the Barracuda return home to begin a seven-game homestand, hosting the Coachella Valley Firebirds for the fourth time this year. San Jose is 5-0 against Seattle’s affiliate this season, and 3-0 at home. Entering Wednesday, the Barracuda have won their last two games at Tech CU Arena and are 7-2-0-1 over their previous 10. The Cuda boasts the AHL’s third-best home winning percentage (.735).

 

Past Weekend Woes: The Barracuda dropped a pair of one-goal games in Abbotsford this past weekend, going 0-2-1-0 during its three-game road trip. The three-game skid matches the longest this season. On Sunday, the Barracuda jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first, but failed to put the Canucks away, and would fall 5-4. In the defeat, the SJ scored twice on the power play and allowed two power-play goals. Andrew Poturalski finished with a game-high three points (1+3=4) and Luca Cagnoni recorded the first three-point game (1+2=3) of his career.

 

Firing Up: The Firebirds enter Wednesday with points in 9 of their last 11 (8-2-0-1) and now sit at the second spot in the Pacific Division, four points ahead of the Barracuda. During the 11-game stretch, Coachella Valley has scored at least four goals in eight outings. CV collected a 4-2 win at Colorado and has victories in four of five.

 

Hot Pot: Former Firebird Andrew Poturalski collected his second four-point game (1+3=4) of the year on Sunday and is now T-first in the AHL in points (40), T-second in power-play goals (7), T-third in assists (24), and T-fifth in goals (17). Over his last 13 games, he has 19 points (7+12=19). During his two seasons with the Firebirds, from 2022-24, the ninth-year pro skated in 98 games, notching 31 goals and 60 assists, helping Coachella Valley reach the Calder Cup Finals in both campaigns. Poturalski is set to represent the Barracuda at the 2025 AHL All-Star Classic from Feb. 2-3 in Coachella Valley at the Acrisure Arena.

 

Luca Lightning: Rookie blueliner Luca Cagnoni recorded his first three-point game (1+2=3) of his career on Sunday and now has four points (2+2=4) over his last two games after not collecting a point in nine. Among league defenders, he is T-fourth in points (26), T-second in goals (10), T-second in power-play goals (6), third in power-play assists (9), and second in power-play points (16).

 

Shak is Back: The Sharks reassigned defenseman Shakir Mukhamadullin to the Barracuda on Monday. During his recall, the former first-rounder who turned 23 on Jan. 10, skated in 10 games in the NHL, scoring his first goal on Dec. 27 vs. Vegas. A year ago, in his first full season in North America, Mukhamadullin represented the Barracuda at the 2024 AHL All-Star Classic in San Jose and was named the team’s MVP.

   

Sparkling Special Teams: The Barracuda rank first in the AHL on the penalty kill (86.8%) entering Wednesday and T-third in shorthanded goals. Additionally, the club boasts the league’s fourth-best power play (22.4%). Versus the Firebirds, the Barracuda are 6-for-21 (28.6%) on the power play and 13-for-16 on the penalty kill (81.3%). In the last matchup on Dec. 18, the Barracuda won 5-2 at Acrisure Arena and went three-for-seven on the power play.

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