The San Jose Barracuda are the American Hockey League minor-league hockey team affiliated with the San Jose Sharks.
The San Jose Barracuda’s exhibition game with the Henderson Silver Knights on Saturday was cancelled due to COVID-19 protocols.
The cancellation occurred between the second and third periods of the AHL game, which took place at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas. Henderson led 1-0 at the time the game was called.
According to reports, both teams came out of their locker rooms for the start of the third period but were soon sent back. The Barracuda were scheduled to stay overnight in Las Vegas.
The Silver Knights announced the cancellation was not because of a positive COVID test result from a Henderson player or staff member.
Friday, the NHL announced it was postponing the Sharks-Vegas Golden Knights games in Glendale, Ariz. on Monday and Wednesday because four members of the Golden Knights, including three coaches, were being isolated in collection with the league’s COVID protocols. Vegas defenseman Alex Pietrangelo is among the list of NHL players who are unavailable to play or practice.
The Golden Knights’ practice facility has also been closed until further notice.
A spokesman for the San Jose Sharks, the Barracuda’s parent club, said the team would not make any additional comment Saturday.
The Barracuda was playing the Silver Knights for the second time in two days after Henderson won Friday’s game 7-3.
These were the NUMEROUS healthy scratches for the San Jose Barracuda, who were sitting in the stands and were included on the trip for the #AHL exhibition games against the Henderson Silver Knights. pic.twitter.com/uRof0Eio31
— WillieGRamirez (@WillieGRamirez) January 31, 2021
In Saturday’s game, a handful of players who had been on the Sharks’ roster or taxi squad earlier this week were dressed, including forwards John Leonard, Fredrik Handemark and Jeffrey Viel, defenseman Brinson Pasichnuk and goalie Alexei Melnichuk.
Rudolfs Balcers, on a conditioning assignment after he was claimed off of waivers by the Sharks from Ottawa Senators earlier this month, was playing in his second straight game. He was on a line with Alex True and Jake McGrew.
The Barracuda, as of Saturday night, was still scheduled to play its final exhibition game Monday in Tucson against the Roadrunners. San Jose is scheduled to begin the regular season with a three-game series with Tucson on Feb. 5, 6, and 8.
The Sharks on Saturday flew from Phoenix to San Jose, as several players returned home for the first time since late December. The Sharks are scheduled to practice Sunday at Solar4America Ice in San Jose, although the team announced Saturday evening that practice would be closed to the media.
The Sharks’ next scheduled game is Feb. 5 in Anaheim against the Ducks.
