GAMEDAY: BARRACUDA VS REIGN (2-12-17)
Feb 12, 2017Game #42 – San Jose Barracuda (26-11-1-3) vs. Ontario Reign (24-11-8-0)
Sunday, February 12, 2017
5:00 PM PST, SAP Center, San Jose, California
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Tonight’s Matchup: The San Jose Barracuda and Ontario Reign renew their rivalry on Sunday night at SAP Center. After beginning the season 2-0 against Ontario, the Barracuda have lost three straight including a 7-2 loss at Citizens Business Bank Arena on January 21, San Jose’s last loss. The Reign are coming off a defeat at the hand of the Gulls on Friday night in San Diego, 4-1, and sit just behind San Jose in the Pacific Division at 24-11-8-0 (.651%). San Jose is 1-0-0-1 against the Reign at home, but are riding a four-game home winning streak and have the best home record in the Western Conference and the second best in the AHL at 15-4-1-1 (.750). Ontario holds the best road winning percentage in the Pacific at 11-5-6-0 (.636). During the season series, Tim Heed leads all skaters in points (2+6=8).
Best of the West: For the first time in team history, the San Jose Barracuda sit atop the Pacific Division and Western Conference. San Jose is riding a franchise-long seven-game winning streak and is ranked second in the AHL at 26-11-1-3 (.683). The longest winning streak by a Sharks affiliate came in the 2014-15 season when the Worcester Sharks won eight in a row from January 4-21, 2014.
Yeah Buddy: Since joining the Barracuda in late January from the Binghamton Senators as a part of the Tommy Wingels trade, Buddy Robinson has four points (3+1=4) in just six games including a pair of goals in San Jose’s 4-3 win over the Bakersfield Condors on Saturday night. In 39 combined game between Binghamton and San Jose, Robinson has 21 points (10+6=16), 18 penalty minutes and plus-nine rating.
Ryan Returns: After being recalled to the San Jose Sharks on Monday, and not appearing in a game, Barracuda defenseman Joakim Ryan was reassigned to the Barracuda on Friday and netted the overtime winner in San Jose’s 4-3 victory over the Bakersfield Condors on Saturday. In 40 games, Ryan has 26 points (6+20=26), 31 penalty minutes and a plus-19 rating.
Shining Star: Among rookies, Barracuda All-Star forward Danny O’Regan is second in points (14+24=38), T-first in assists, eighth in goals, and T-16th overall in the AHL in points. O'Regan is first on the Barracuda in points, second in goals and second in assists.
All World: Barracuda All-Star netminder Troy Grosenick got the night off on Saturday but is riding a season long six-game winning streak and is first in the AHL in shutouts (6), first in goals-against average (2.09), first in save percentage (.931) and T-seventh in wins (15).
San Jose’s Last Time Out: The San Jose Barracuda needed extra time on Saturday to extend their winning streak to seven games but in overtime Joakim Ryan (6) sniped a shot past Jonas Gustavsson to earn a 4-3 win over the Bakersfield Condors at Rabobank Arena. The win was San Jose’s sixth straight on the road and second in Bakersfield in four tries. Buddy Robinson (9, 10) scored twice, and John McCarthy (11) potted his fourth goal in his last four games while Mantas Armalis made 17 saves to earn the win.
Bakersfield’s Last Time Out: The Ontario Reign allowed three third-period goals on Friday and fell to the San Diego Gulls, 4-1, at Valley View Casino Center. After Kyle MacKinnon (1) scored for the Gulls in the first, neither team would score again until the third period. Jaycob Megna (3) gave San Diego a 2-0 lead before Jonny Brodzinski (18) cut the lead in half. But Jordan Samuels-Thomas (8) and Ryan Garbutt (4) sealed the victory for San Diego. Jhonas Enroth made 26 saves to earn the win, while Jack Campbell allowed three goals on 37 shots in the losing effort.