Special teams doom San Jose Barracuda in home opener

While the fans tried to rally the team several times during the home opener, it simply wasn’t enough. The San Jose Barracuda fell to the Rockford IceDogs – the affiliate of the Chicago Blackhawks – by a final score of 7-2. Brandon Coe and Shakir Mukhamadullin scored for the Barracuda in the losing effort. Magnus Chrona stopped 27 of the 33 shots that he faced.

Turning point of the game

Through the first period and a few minutes into the second, the Barracuda seemed like it could tilt the ice in its direction. Down 2-1, the ‘Cuda continued to pepper IceHogs goaltender Drew Commesso with shots. It seemed as though it was only a matter of time before one of the shots trickled through.

But just over three minutes into the second period, Ozzy Wiesblatt laid a big hit on Rockford’s Joey Anderson, absolutely leveling him.

Ozzy Wiesblatt with a terrible hit. Looks like Ozzy's night is over pic.twitter.com/QHSZ4UkDP9

— JD Young (@MyFryHole) October 14, 2023

The players converged and Wiesblatt was immediately sent to the box. Anderson stayed down for a few minutes before he was helped off the ice and into the lockerroom. After the quick conference, the refs charged Wiesblatt with a hit to the head and served him a match penalty. Wiesblatt’s night was over.

After the game, Barracuda Head Coach John McCarthy said he was going to have to rewatch it since his eyes were on another part of the play at the time. He said the call changed the game completely.

“They said it was contact to the head so we got to deal with it,” said McCarthy. “It set us on our heels obviously on the scoreboard but also momentum wise.”

By the time the Barracuda emerged from killing the five-minute match penalty, the score was 4-1 in favor of the IceHogs. McCarthy said even though the penalty hurt, it did not excuse how the team played in the third period.

“Taking the penalty out of it I actually didn’t mind our first two periods at first glance. I gotta rewatch it, but the third that was the part that didn’t sit well with me,” said McCarthy. “I want to see a push back. I want to see people, when they don’t like what they’re seeing, somebody do something to get us back in the game. Score a goal. You get the momentum back and I didn’t see a spark there.”

Special teams a big issue

The play on special teams was a big difference maker in the final score. The ‘Cuda had four power plays but didn’t score on the man advantage until the waning minutes of the third period, when the team was on a 5-on-3.

Mukhamadullin got his first of the season on a slap shot from just above the faceoff circle. Danil Gushchin and Ryan Carpenter received assists on the play.

Shakir Mukhamadullin on the power play! pic.twitter.com/rn7NnHpl1g

— JD Young (@MyFryHole) October 14, 2023

Meanwhile, the IceHogs scored three goals on special teams. The first power play of the game for Rockford only lasted nine seconds before the puck was in the back of the net. Things got worse when the IceHogs scored twice on Wiesblatt’s five-minute major. While San Jose locked things up on the Rockford’s third and final power play of the night, by that point, it didn’t make a difference.

It’s a quick turnaround to today’s 2 p.m. game against those same IceDogs. McCarthy said postgame the adjustments on the power play will be simple.

“We got to take a look at it, see what they’re doing and come up with a plan to attack it,” said McCarthy. “Power play, get pucks to the net; get second opportunities. Penalty kill, denying high-quality shots against.”

Magnus Chrona’s professional debut

This was not the best professional debut for the former NCAA champion, but don’t blame it all on Chrona. There were several instances where the goaltender made big saves, especially on scoring chances that should not have happened in the first place.

At one point in the first, when it was still 2-1, Chrona was forced to make a save on a really bad turnover right in front of the net.

In the third period, things got even worse. At one point, Leon Gawanke had possession of the puck in his own zone. He had plenty of time and space to make a clean exit, all he had to do was take his time and let the play develop. However, he rushed things and tried a tricky outlet pass that ended up on the tape of a Rockford player who immediately turned it the other way for a prime scoring chance.

Postgame, McCarthy said this was not Chrona’s fault.

“We left him out to dry,” said McCarthy. “We didn’t give up a ton of chances but the quality of the chances that we gave up was high. We made bad reads. Bad reads in the offensive zone or pinch reads…put ourselves in a bad spot there. So, it wasn’t on him.”

McCarthy says Chrona will not start today, but that’s not his fault, it’s simply an issue of the schedule and the quick turnaround and it’s “nothing performance-based.”

Game notes

• Justin Bailey, who spent some time with the Sharks on a professional tryout, had a few flashy plays. At one point of the game, he regrouped at his own blueline and weaved his way through a pair of IceHogs before shooting the puck between the two defenders. It didn’t result in a goal, but it was a solid individual effort.
• Jacob Peterson is trying to earn his way back to the NHL. He played good defense in the first period, hip checking the Rockford player with the puck to stop him from walking into the Barracuda zone uncontested. It disrupted the play enough to prevent the scoring chance.
• Rockford’s second goal was a matter of bad defense. It was a tic-tac-toe play at even-strength that the Barracuda should have broken up. Three IceHogs moved into the Barracuda zone with plenty of Barracuda players there to stop the rush. None of them were able to get sticks in the lane to prevent the passes. Gawanke was so busy watching the puck that he didn’t see the third IceHog sneak in the backdoor for an easy tap-in.
• McCarthy will be looking for the team’s response in today’s game. “We just got to come together as a group and it’s a little adversity as your first game. How do you react? Whether the score was indicative of the game or not, the score is the score. How do you feel about that? What are you going to do to get ourselves back on track? That’s what I’m looking for.”
• Cole Cassels was tripped while driving the net and was awarded a penalty shot. He beat the goaltender but could not beat the crossbar.
• Mukhamadullin had a solid, though unimpressive game. He certainly wasn’t anywhere near the worst player on the ice. During one of the Barracuda power plays (one that the team did not score on) he made skilled passes from his position on the point and seemed to be at the right place at the right time to stop several clearing attempts and keep the play alive.
• Coe’s first goal of the season was a pretty one thanks to the work of his linemates. Peterson walked the puck into the zone, showing poise in spite of the two IceHogs closing in. He passed the puck down below the redline to Ethan Cardwell, who immediately passed it to Coe charging to the front of the net. Coe didn’t miss to make the score 2-1.

Brandon Coe gets the Cuda on the board!
Cardwell and Peterson with the assists.

2-1 IceHogs pic.twitter.com/PLgbjjTJVm

— JD Young (@MyFryHole) October 14, 2023

The Barracuda play the IceHogs again today at 2 p.m. at TechCU Arena.