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San Jose Barracuda

Tim Burke on Reedy, Coe’s Quick Adjustment to AHL; Cuda Drop Game 1

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3 years ago

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Credit: Henderson Silver Knights

Josef Korenar held up his end, but the rest of the San Jose Barracuda didn’t in a 4-1 Game One loss to Henderson last night.

It was a tight affair early on, Jack Dugan and Jayden Halbgewachs trading first period goals.

Zach Gallant helped create a Gage Quinney turnover along the wall, which Jake McGrew scooped up. Halbgewachs slipped behind Ryan Murphy for the equalizer.

It was Halbgewachs’s third goal and ninth point in his last 11 regular season/playoff contests. The 24-year-old winger is enjoying a late-season revival after a hip injury hampered him earlier this season.

“I thought the first period was pretty even,” Roy Sommer said, “I think the chances were three to two for us.”

From the middle frame on, however, the Silver Knights began to control the tempo, outshooting the Barracuda 25-12. Midway through the second period, Pavel Dorofeyev potted the eventual game-winner.

A pinching Jaycob McGrew’s drop pass to Maxim Letunov failed to connect, and Maxim Marushev drew two forwards to himself – Letunov and Brandon Coe – before hitting a wide-open Dorofeyev.

San Jose didn’t respond with much pressure on Logan Thompson, though they weren’t helped by the refs missing Ryan Merkley getting high sticked.

“We just couldn’t answer their offense,” Sommer shared. “I think the end of the game, the chances were 19-9 for them.”

Dugan added a couple empty netters for the hat trick to put Game One on ice for Henderson. Game Two of the best-of-three is 1 PM on Sunday at Orleans Arena.

For the Barracuda, however, the bright spot was Korenar, who stopped 30 of 32 shots. The Czech netminder has been a rock since coming back from a month-long stint with the San Jose Sharks, boasting a .953 Save % in three Pacific Division playoff starts.

“He’s solid at this level,” Sommer said. “Most of the goalies that get it done here, are good game in, game out, can play at the next level.”

Newcomers Reedy, Coe Impress

Both Scott Reedy and Brandon Coe are new to the pro game. It’s a good thing that both are physical specimens, which has helped them adjust with relative ease to the AHL.

In early April, Reedy joined the Barracuda straight out of the University of Minnesota. The 22-year-old quickly established himself as a top-six, all situations force up the middle, which hasn’t surprised the San Jose Sharks’ brass.

“When he came to us, he came in at 6-foot-2, 215 pounds at 8 1/2 % body fat,” director of scouting Doug Wilson Jr. said. “He looks like a pro. I think he’s got the physio and he’s always had the hands.”

Assistant general manager Tim Burke agreed: “He’s physically gifted, he’s a strong kid. Right away, he was ready physically.”

Reedy demonstrated his readiness by potting five goals in 17 games to end the regular season, his ice time steadily increasing. In the playoffs, scouts in Irvine were impressed by the 2017 fourth-rounder’s mature game, especially below the tops of the circles. He’s won plenty of puck battles, lining up with Halbgewachs and Jake McGrew – and the trio teamed up for the game-winner versus Tucson.

Reedy pressured Victor Soderstrom into a turnover; Halbgewachs and McGrew took care of the rest.

“He’s doing a lot of playoff-type things where he’s tough in the circle, helping defensively,” Burke offered. “Hanging onto pucks, possession game, you can see the progress he’s made.”

Meanwhile, for Brandon Coe, the adjustment to the pro game hasn’t been as immediate, but that’s to be expected: The 2020 fourth-round pick is just 19 and would be playing in the OHL if it weren’t for the pandemic.

After playing just one game in the first two months of the season, Coe suited up for 16 of the Barracuda’s last 18 regular season games. And in the playoffs, he’s found himself in San Jose’s top-six with Maxim Letunov and Evan Weinger.

“It was a little overwhelming for a little while,” Burke said of Coe getting accustomed to the pro game. “Then he adjusted so much that he’s on our top line now. That’s unusual, but he’s also a bigger, stronger, and more intelligent player.”

Standing 6-foot-4, Coe still needs to fill out, but he skates well and has proven to be pro-strong. You can see some of his ranginess here:

In Irvine, San Jose Hockey Now talked to a scout about Coe. The scout still wants to see a more assertive streak from Coe with the puck – but he acknowledged how impressive it was to see a 19-year-old hang physically and skate with AHL pros.

What’s scary? Coe can still get a lot faster and a lot stronger.

“He’s probably ahead of schedule now,” Burke noted. “This is a great experience because this is playoff hockey, where every inch of ice matters.”

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