Photo credit: @sjbarracuda

By Marko Ukalovic

SAN JOSE—-The San Jose Barracuda (20-15-2-0) were able to get the bad taste of the San Diego Gulls out of their mouth with a gritty 2-1 victory over the San Antonio Rampage (16-14-0-2) Tuesday night at SAP Center. Their 20th victory of the season broke their two-game losing streak.

Manny Wiederer was the hero for the  Barracuda when he scored the game-winning goal, thanks to a failed clearing attempt by the Rampage. He was able to take advantage of a Brandon Bollig screen in front of Rampage goalie Ville Husso (7-6-0) as his wrist shot sailed past Husso for his fourth goal on the season at 8:28 of the third period.

“Bollig was going to the net and I tried to pass it to him,” Wiederer said after the game. “Luckily, the goalie didn’t see it and didn’t get it and it went right in.”

The first period saw no scoring, but each team had their own chances to draw first blood as each had a power play opportunity, but neither could convert. Barracuda forward Danny O’Reagan’s line created a flurry of chances with six and a half minutes left in the first period. His wraparound attempt was stopped by Husso. Both teams would get a chance late in the period when Rampage foward Kim Klostin’s shot from the slot trickled past Antoine Bibeau (9-7-0) but the San Jose goaltender was able to reach back with no further damage done with 54 seconds left. While San Jose captain John McCarthy pick pocketed Rampage defenseman Chris Butler at his own blue line that led to a breakaway chance but his back hander would be thwarted by Husso with just under 30 seconds left. San Jose outshot San Antonio 15-7.

Barracuda forward Tim Clifton broke the deadlock at 2:53 of the second period when he was able tip in a shot by Rudolfs Balcers. Balcers was able to keep the puck in at the blue line and let a wrist shot go from the left point into a body of traffic in front of Husso that Clifton’s stick was able to get a piece of the puck and past the short side for a 1-0 lead. It was his second goal of the season.

“Everyone chipped in tonight,” said head coach Roy Sommer, describing his team’s performance on the night. “Some unknown guys got goals. We told them to get to the net and good stuff would happen.”

San Jose had a chance to extend their lead two minutes later when Rampage forward AJ Greer was assessed an extra minor for roughing when he got into a scuffle with Cuda defenseman Micael Brodzinski along the boards at 4:46. . However McCarthy’s back hand attempt on a rebound almost trickled past Husso before the goalie was able to pounce on the puck. Filip Sandberg’s breakaway attempt was stoned by Husso, just seconds after the power play was over.

With O’Reagan in the sin bin for hooking, the Rampage would tie the game on the power play when forward Alex Belzile was able to back hand home a rebound past Bibeau after Rocco Grimaldi’s shot hit off the back post and found a wide open Belzile camped out in front of the crease for his seventh goal of the season. Jordan Schmaltz also received an assist. Despite San Jose out shooting San Antonio 14-6 in the second period, the teams headed into the second intermission tied at 1-1.

Bibeau made 24 saves, including some critical saves in the final two minutes when San Antonio pulled Husso for an extra attacker on 25 shots for the victory. Husso suffered the defeat on 36 saves on 38 shots.

GAME NOTES: The power play woes continued for San Jose as they went 0/4 on the power play while San Antonio was 1/2. San Antonio out shot San Jose 12-9 in the 3rd period.

Barracuda forward Brandon Mashinter missed his second consecutive game with an upper body injury he suffered this past Friday night in San Diego when he took a stick to his eye.

UP NEXT: The Barracuda host the Rockford Icehogs on Friday night at 7 pm PT.