SAN JOSE – Yaroslav Askarov will miss both of the San Jose Barracuda’s games in Southern California this weekend as the AHL team continues to determine the severity of the Russian-born goalie’s lower-body injury.
“They’re literally still in the process of having the doctors take a look at everything,” Barracuda coach John McCarthy told Bay Area News Group on Friday of Askarov’s injury. “We should have more of a plan after that.”
Askarov was injured in the first period of the Barracuda’s game against the Ontario Reign on Wednesday at Tech CU Arena in San Jose. After allowing a second goal at the 8:05 mark of the first, Askarov looked in discomfort as he repeatedly shook his left leg.
San Jose fell behind 3-0 at the 9:50 mark of the first period. Just over a minute later, during a media timeout, Askarov went to the Barracuda bench, spoke with head athletic trainer Jaime Garcia, and then left the game.
Askarov, who allowed three goals on 14 shots, was replaced by Gabe Carriere with 8:52 left in the first. Carriere allowed three goals on 21 shots as the Barracuda lost 6-4.
Askarov, the Barracuda’s No. 1 netminder and the Sharks’ top goalie prospect, did not practice on Friday before the team left for Ontario. The Barracuda play the Reign at Toyota Arena on Saturday and the Coachella Valley Firebirds on Sunday at Acrisure Arena.
It’s unclear if Askarov will have to miss more games next week. San Jose faces Bakersfield on Wednesday to start a four-game homestand.
This season with the Barracuda, Askarov has a 10-7-1 record, a .922 save percentage and three shutouts in 19 AHL games.
Since his return to the AHL from the Sharks earlier this month, Askarov has gone 1-3-0 with a .878 save percentage. Including Wednesday’s loss, San Jose has a 2-5-1 record this month.
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“Our team play, in general, has slipped,” McCarthy said. “Our standards have fallen. I don’t think we’re playing the way that we know we can play. So (Askarov’s) been exposed to some situations that he wasn’t earlier in the year, and that’s on us to get better. But he’s been good.”
McCarthy now wants to see a response from his players, as the Barracuda (25-18-2-3) entered Friday in sixth place in the AHL’s Pacific Division with 55 points.
“We need to have a couple of identity games,” McCarthy said. “Go into a game and play the right way from the drop of the puck and get the ship going in the right direction again.”
