By: Eric He

sjbarracuda.com photo: San Jose Barracuda goaltender Tony Grosenick defends the net against the San Diego Gulls on Friday night at Valley Casino Center in San Diego

The San Jose Barracuda (5-3-0-2) allowed a late game-tying goal in regulation and eventually fell 3-2 in a shootout to the San Diego Gulls (5-5-1-0) on Friday night on the road.

Ahead by a goal in the final minutes of the third, goaltender Troy Grosenick fended off a barrage of shots from the Gulls. Finally, Ondrej Case snuck in and beat Gosenick from in close to even the score at 2-2.

An eventful but scoreless overtime period resulted in a shootout, where Stefan Noesen delivered the winner of San Diego in the fourth round. Gulls goaltender Dustin Tokarski then denied Ryan Carpenter, who had the Barracuda’s final chance, for the win in an intense affair.

“It was one of those tight-checking games,” said Gulls Head Coach Dallas Eakins. “I think the rivalries in this league are growing. That’s the great thing about this division. As these guys develop the rivalries will only get stronger.”

San Jose jumped ahead with the lone first period goal. Timo Meier grabbed the puck off an offensive zone face-off and fired it past Tokarski to give the Barracuda 1-0 lead.

But San Diego tied it midway through the second period when Joakim Ryan gave the puck away to the Gulls’ Stu Bickel, who beat Grosenick through the five-hole.

Carpenter untied the score at 13:15 of the third period, deflecting a shot from the point by Tim Heed to give the Barracuda 2-1 lead. It wouldn’t hold up, though, despite a 35-save effort from Grosenick.

The Barracuda continue their six-game road trip with another tilt against the Gulls on Saturday.