The Gulls return to home ice for the 13th time in the 2019-20 season as they play the middle game of a three-game homestand Friday night.

The San Diego Gulls (10-11-1-1) will face-off against the San Jose Barracuda (9-14-0-2) after a shootout loss to Grand Rapids earlier this week.

In the previous four matchups this season between the two California teams, San Diego and San Jose have each won two games, with the latest showdown going San Jose’s way in a 3-2 overtime win Nov. 27.

The San Diego Gulls are entering the Friday night clash going 2-3 to start off the month of December, following an (8-3) November.

The Gulls will be enjoying the returns of defenseman Josh Mahura, left wing Jack Kopacka and right wing Kiefer Sherwood, who re-joined Gulls practice on Wednesday.

The San Jose Barracuda have lost their last three games and four of six games in the month of December. In their latest game on Dec. 18, San Jose lost to the Ontario Reign at home (4-3).

Their leading scorer, right wing Joachim Blichfeld, has scored 10 goals and 11 assists, and is tied with center Maxim Letunov for their team-lead in points (21).

San Jose’s top goaltender, Josef Korenar, has already surpassed 1,000 minutes this season after only giving up 52 goals in 17 games played for a 3.11 goals allowed per game average. Korenar also has two shutouts this year.

The Gulls and Barracuda will make their fifth showdown this season from Pechanga Arena San Diego with a 7 p.m. (PT) puck drop. The game will be streamed on AHL TV with a paid subscription and the game can be heard through the iHeart Radio App on the Gulls Radio Network.