By: Eric He

With time running out on the 2015-2016 regular season, the San Jose Barracuda failed to bolster their playoff bid on Saturday night after a 5-3 loss to the San Diego Gulls on the road.

After failing to gain ground on the Charlotte Checkers for the eighth and final playoff spot last night, the Barracuda remained behind the Checkers as their road trip continued on Saturday.

Brandon Montour scored the eventual game-winner for the Gulls with under six minutes gone by in the third period. That came after the Barracuda rallied from a two-goal deficit to even the score with a goal by Petter Emanuelsson early in the frame.

But it would not be enough. On an odd-man rush later in the period, Nic Kerdiles finished it off to give the Gulls an insurance marker. They would hang on for the win.

Three second period goals by the Gulls served as the turning point. The Barracuda jumped ahead with a first period marker by Barclay Goodrow, but they were quickly tripled up by the Gulls in the next frame. Antoine Laganiere, Corey Tropp and Ondrej Kase all beat San Jose net minder Troy Groesnick to give the Gulls a 3-1 advantage.

But the Barracuda answered with a clutch shorthanded goal by John McCarthy on a terrific individual effort.

San Jose outshot San Diego 25-24, but could not pull off the road win. The Barracuda’s six-game road trip continues on Wednesday against the Rampage in San Antonio.