PREVIEW: Gulls Can Make Up Ground In Division With Clash Against Barracuda
Jan 11, 2023By Brett Pickler/SanDiegoGulls.com
The San Diego Gulls return home to Pechanga Arena San Diego to face the San Jose Barracuda tonight (7 p.m. PT; TV: AHL TV, RADIO: Gulls Audio Network).
Following a two-game set against the Milwaukee Admirals, the Gulls finally are back to play their first home game of 2023.The teams split the series, but goaltender Lukas Dostal did set two team milestones. He became the first goalie in team history to record shutouts on consecutive games. While achieving this milestone, he also set the record for longest shutout sequence at 152:31, beating the previous record held by John Gibson. Meanwhile, San Jose enters tonight’s game on the heels of 4-0 loss to the Coachella Valley Firebirds. In the first meeting between these two clubs this season, the Barracuda shut out the Gulls 3-0 in San Jose.
The Barracuda were starting to go on a roll before their shutout loss, winning the previous two games against the Ontario Reign and Henderson Silver Knights. San Jose is a team highlighted by young talent. On their current roster, they have seven players in their rookie season. Despite their age, two players are making an impact for their team. Forward Thomas Bordeleau sits in second for scoring on the Barracuda, while his 17 goals lead the team. Additionally, his eight power play goals (PPG) land him in a tie for third in the league for this category. Rookie goaltender Eetu Makiniemi is leading the way for San Jose between the pipes. In his 17 games played, he recorded a goals against average (GAA) of 3.24 with a .895 save percentage (SAV%). He also registered a shutout on Nov. 20, 2022, in a 28 save effort against the Tucson Roadrunners.
San Diego will look to attack the young team and capitalize on their inexperience to continue their good start in 2023. The Gulls won four out of their last six games and appear to be gaining confidence with the puck. Defenseman Michael Del Zotto is one the players leading this offensive spark. In his seven games after being acquired by the Gulls, he has recorded 2-3=5 points and is currently on a three-game point streak. Center Glenn Gawdin is back to lighting the lamp after returning from injury on Dec. 28, 2022. Since his return, he has recorded 3-1=4 points in five games. Gawdin is also looking to extend his goal streak to three games after finding the back of the net in consecutive games against Milwaukee.
One area that the Gulls will try to capitalize on will be special teams. San Jose is first in the league with 662 penalty minutes. This provides an opportunity for San Diego to continue to build confidence on the man advantage. In their last two games, the Gulls tallied goals on the man advantage. With their increase in confidence with the puck and the Barracuda’s lack of discipline, the Gulls have an opportunity to rack up potential chances and earn the victory.