The San Jose Sharks’ AHL affiliate is one win away from advancing to the second spherical of the Calder Cup playoffs.
Forwards Pavol Regenda and Filip Bystedt each scored third-period targets, and goalie Yaroslav Askarov made 17 saves for his first profession AHL playoff shutout because the Barracuda beat the Ontario Reign 2-0 on Friday in Recreation 1 of their best-of-three opening-round sequence at Crypto.com Area in Los Angeles.
Regenda, acquired from the San Diego Gulls in January, scored on the 7:21 mark of the third interval to provide the Barracuda the lead earlier than Bystedt added some insurance coverage with a power-play aim on the 8:39 mark. Bystedt was the Sharks’ first-round decide in 2022.
Defenseman Luca Cagnoni, who had two assists in six video games with the Sharks this season, assisted on each targets Saturday. Cagnoni, in his first 12 months as knowledgeable, was third amongst all AHL defenseman with 52 factors in 64 regular-season video games, and was not too long ago named to the league’s all-rookie workforce.
Earlier within the third interval, the Barracuda killed off a double minor for high-sticking on ahead Zack Ostapchuk. San Jose went 5-for-5 on the penalty kill and 1-for-7 on the ability play.
The Barracuda’s two targets had been sufficient offense for Askarov, who solely needed to make one third-period save in his first recreation since April 12. Askarov, who will seemingly be on the Sharks’ roster within the fall, has 13 shutouts within the AHL, however all have come through the common season. Friday marked his 18th Calder Cup playoff recreation.
Recreation 2 is on Saturday at Crypto.com Area, with the Barracuda having final change. Recreation 3, if crucial, will likely be on Monday at Toyota Area in Ontario.
The Barracuda performed Thursday with out AHL main scorer Andrew Poturalski and fellow high ahead Thomas Bordeleau, each out with accidents. Poturalski (decrease physique) is taken into account week to week, and Bordeleau (higher physique) is each day.
The highest seven groups within the AHL’s Pacific Division superior to the playoffs. The Barracuda are the sixth seed, and the bottom remaining seed after the primary spherical will play No. 1 Colorado within the division semifinals. The 2 different groups will meet within the different semifinal.
That is the primary time the Barracuda have been within the postseason since 2021, when the AHL solely held playoffs for Pacific Division groups.
Initially Revealed: April 24, 2025 at 10:51 PM PDT
