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Scott Reedy’s Classmate at Minnesota? Paul Martin

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Credit: San Jose Barracuda

After arriving in San Jose, it’s been all about hockey for Scott Reedy.

“There’s not a whole lot of time to do a lot,” Reedy told San Jose Hockey Now Monday. “It’s just laying low once I get back to my hotel, just trying to rest up the body, and prepare it for the next day.”

After finishing his collegiate career with Minnesota by making the quarterfinals of this year’s NCAA Tournament, Reedy joined the Barracuda for their busiest stretch of the season. The 22-year-old has played 10 straight games, all back-to-back pairs, in 16 days.

“I’d say I’m pretty comfortable,” Reedy said, before quickly correcting himself. “Very comfortable. The biggest thing for me was getting used to having different teammates. I was in the same spot for four years. So it’s a step up, but I think I’ve adjusted well.”

Reedy is currently on an amateur tryout with the Barracuda before his two-year entry-level contract with the San Jose Sharks begins next season. In his professional debut Apr. 6, Reedy scored a clutch shootout goal to keep the game going.

Last week, head coach Roy Sommer complimented Reedy’s shot and play in traffic. Reedy exemplified this in his first two goals, skating to good positions for one-time shots.

Reedy began his pro career playing on the wing with Joel Kellman and Stefan Noesen, until injuries and call-ups by the Sharks shifted him back to center. For three games last week, Reedy, Brandon Coe, and Jake McGrew formed a rookie line.

“It’s a lot of fun, I like those guys a lot,” Reedy said. “Coe’s a young guy, but he’s a really strong, powerful player for his age and he thinks the game really well. McGrew’s a speedster also and pretty easy to play with, the guy’s got a really good shot.”

Reedy has also been enjoying time on the second power play unit, using his 6-foot-2 frame as a dangerous net-front presence. He tipped in Ryan Merkley’s shot for a power play goal Apr. 17.

By joining the Barracuda, Reedy was reunited with fellow 2017 San Jose Sharks draft picks McGrew, Sasha Chmelevski, and Ivan Chekhovich. The fourth-rounder Reedy was the last of the draft class to make the jump to pro, with first-rounder Josh Norris playing for the Ottawa Senators and second-rounder Mario Ferraro up with the Sharks.

Used to Playing Up

A Minnesota native, Reedy was on the ice with older players from a young age — joining his older brother’s third grade team as a first grader.

“I’ve always had to think a lot, and really develop my hockey sense, to be able to play at a faster pace with older guys,” Reedy said. “It just pushes you to see what’s out there and understand what you need to be able to compete against and eventually dominate”

Reedy spent two years on the U.S. National Team, playing with Vancouver’s Quinn Hughes and Ottawa’s Brady Tkachuk from 2015-17. Team USA U-18 coach John Wroblewski once called a 17-year-old Reedy “an absolute moose to play against.”

Classmates with “Humble” Paul Martin

After discussions with the Sharks during the off-season, Reedy concluded finishing out his collegiate career was the best decision to continue his development.

“I think it was just being in a role to play a lot, be a top guy on my team,” Reedy said. “Really dominate the game and play at that level before moving on from it.”

Reedy said he’s talked a lot with former San Jose Sharks defenseman Paul Martin, who was an assistant coach with Minnesota this season.

“The biggest thing I learned from [Martin] was just his presence,” Reedy said. “The way he walked around and carried himself, you’d have no idea he played in the NHL for as long as he did. That speaks wonders on his character.”

Martin’s official title with the Gophers was “undergraduate assistant,” as the 40-year-old was finishing up his final year of college. This actually made Martin and Reedy classmates.

“I didn’t realize he was in one of my classes,” Reedy said, “So it was funny when I pulled up his video [introduction] and he goes, ‘I’m Paul Martin, I’m a senior,’  … but it was a cool experience. It’s funny that I graduated with him at the same time.”

Barabanov Debuts, Cuda Drop Back-to-Back Tilts

The Barracuda (12-11-4-2) never led through back-to-back losses to the San Diego Gulls (21-13-0-0) Tuesday and Wednesday.

Alexander Barabanov made his Barracuda debut after being acquired by the San Jose Sharks at the Trade Deadline Apr. 12. He played left wing with Reedy and Coe Tuesday, then with Chmelevski and Reedy Wednesday.

Lean Bergmann swiped in a loose puck for the lone Barracuda goal in Tuesday’s 5-1 loss. Bergmann’s unassisted goal was his second of the season and his fourth point in three games.

On Wednesday, the Gulls opened the scoring early again, just three minutes into the first period

Late in the opening period, sustained pressure by the Barracuda’s top line led to Joachim Blichfeld scoring his team-high 12th goal of the year, assisted by Zach Gallant. Gallant has four assists in the last four games.

Early in the second period, San Diego quickly scored a pair of goals within a minute to take a 3-1 lead.

Blichfeld then made a touch pass to Jayden Halbgewachs, who slid the puck across for Alexander True to score. In his first appearance since missing10 games due to injury, Halbgewachs earned the primary assist on True’s ninth goal of the year.

The Gulls scored in the final two seconds of the period for a 4-2 lead. Late in the third period, San Diego scored on the empty San Jose net, before the Anaheim Ducks’ top prospect, Trevor Zegras, scored for the 6-2 win.

The Barracuda travel to play the Ontario Reign Sunday at 3 p.m.

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