Photo credit: @sjbarracuda

By Marko Ukalovic

SAN JOSE — The shootout hasn’t been too kind to the San Jose Barracuda (24-22-3-3), but they were able to change their fortunes with a 2-1 shootout victory over the Ontario Reign (27-19-4-2) on Sunday afternoon at SAP Center.

Michael Brodzinski scored the only goal in the shootout and Antone Bibeau (16-11-2) stopped all three Reign attempts to preserve the Cuda’s second win in a row on their current four-game homestand.

Ontario would draw first blood at the 12:46 mark of the first period. Oscar Frantenberg fired a shot from the point that Bibeau saved off his blocker, creating a rebound in front of the crease. After a mad scramble in front of the net, Andrew Crescenzi was able to get a hold of the puck and shoot it past Bibeau for his 11th goal of the season. The goal came seconds after the Cuda killed off a penalty by Jacob Middleton.

The best scoring chance in the period for San Jose came at the eight-minute mark. Filip Sandberg’s tip-in attempt was stopped by Reign goalie Cal Petersen (16-9-1) as well as Rourke Chartier’s rebound chance immediately after.

The Cuda’s top line of John McCarthy, Rudolfs Balcers and Adam Helewka created sustained pressure five minutes into the second period, but were unable to put the pack in the back of the net, despite numerous shots on goal.

Bibeau made a nice save on Matt Roy’s shot that came on a 3-on-2 odd man with three and a half minutes left in the period.

“I saw the puck really well,” said Bibeau after the game. “The boys played hard and really well. On top of that the effort was there, which is one thing that has been lacking in the last few weeks was lacking. There’s 16 games left and we’re really looking forward to it.”

The Cuda tied the score late in the second period when Radim Simek was able to intercept a clearing attempt by Ontario and snapped a shot from just atop the left circle that snuck past Petersen to lower left corner of the net for his fifth goal of the season at the 18:38 mark.

There was no scoring in the third period, however, McCarthy had two separate scoring chances on an abbreviated power play with five minutes left in the period as he whacked at the puck twice each time in front of the crease only to have Petersen send him away empty-handed. Ontario out shot the Cuda 10-8 in the period.

“It was kind of a broken play,” said McCarthy. “The puck squirted over to me and I had two pretty clear looks, tried to beat him and he saved them. As long as the chances keep coming, I think we’ll be going in the right direction.”

The overtime would also go scoreless. Bibeau made two critical saves in overtime. First on Alex Lintuniemi and then on Michael Mersch on a breakaway.

“He’s been solid for us all year,” said head coach Roy Sommer about his #1 goalie. “If he can stay to (only allowing) one goal per game we’ll get in (to the playoffs), let’s put it that way.”

Bibeau’s impressive day concluded with 38 saves on 39 shots for the victory, while Petersen suffered the defeat, making 28 saves on 29 shots.

GAME NOTES: San Jose’s power play–the worst in the AHL–was 0/2, while Ontario also went 0/2.

Cuda defenseman Calvan Firtzgerald suffered a lower body injury in the first period and did not return to the game. He is listed as day-to-day.

Things got chippy in the third period when there were to separate skirmishes on both sides of the net. Neither resulted in any penalties.

The announced attendance was 4,095.

UP NEXT: The Barracuda continue their four-game homestand with a weekend series against the Cleveland Monsters beginning on Friday night on March 9 at 7 pm PT.