Photo credit: @sjbarracuda

By Marko Ukalovic

SAN JOSE — The San Jose Barracuda (33-26-4-4) are doing their part to keep their post season aspirations alive with another thrilling one-goal victory. They swept the home-and-home series against the Bakersfield Condors (30-27-9-1) with their 4-3 win on Thursday evening at SAP Center. They are currently on a five-game winning streak.

On Fan Appreciate Night and final home game of the regular season, the Cuda gave their fans some hope and a reason to pay attention to the season finale on Saturday by scoring two-third period goals and holding off the Condors’ threat late in the game. They now have to play the waiting game to see what the outcome of the San Diego Gulls at Tuscon Roadrunners game tomorrow night. If the Gulls get a point, San Jose is eliminated from the playoff contention.

“We put ourselves in this hole,” head coach Roy Sommer said about his team not controlling their own fate. “We just kinda have to live with it. You can’t say anybody has thrown in the towel here. I’m really proud of the way they’ve been playing.”

Bakersfield drew first blood in the first period. Tyler Benson fed a pass over to Kyle Platzer who fired a shot top-shelf past Cuda goalie Stephon Williams (3-1-0) for his eighth goal of the season at the 8:45 mark. Dmitri Samorukov received the secondary assist.

San Jose would stay red-hot on the power play as the were able to get the equalizer goal when Emerson Clark fed a cross-ice pass over to Manny Wiederer, who came crashing in from the right slot and one-timed a shot top-shelf past Condors goalie Nick Ellis (9-10-2) for his ninth goal of the season at the 16:43 mark of the first period. Radim Simek received the secondary assist. It was the 10th consecutive game the Cuda converted on the man advantage.

“That (goal) kinda got us jump started,” said Sommer. “The power play has scored in 10 straight games. A lot of good things are happening for us right now. I just hope it’s enough (to make the playoffs).”

The Cuda would gain the lead in the second period when Rourke Chartier fed a pass at the blue line up to Rudolfs Balcers that led to a 2-on-1 with Ivan Chekhovich. Balcers fed a perfect pass over to Chekhovich and he buried the puck past Ellis for his third goal in five games for the Cuda at the 7:46 mark.

Bakersfield would tied the game on the power play when Cooper Marody pinched in from the point to punch home a rebound that pinballed off David Gust to the left side of the crease where Marody was set up. Marody’s first professional goal of his career came at the 13:48 mark of the second period.

San Jose would go up 3-2 in the third period after a wild play in front of Ellis. Maintaining pressure inside the Condor zone, Colby McAuley put on a shot on net that created a mad scramble in front of the net with four Barracuda players that swarmed in front of the net. In a sea of madness, Radim Simek was able to poke home the puck past Ellis for his seventh goal on the season at the 6:43 mark. Alex True received the primary assist.

Sasha Chmelevski gave the Cuda what proved to be the game-winning goal when he was able to anticipate a clearing attempt in the Condor zone. He was able to strip the puck off the Condor defenseman, skate toward the middle of the ice and from the right slot lasered the puck in the upper left hand corner of the net for his third goal in five games at the 12:50 mark.

“The D was coming right at me, so I made a move around them,” said Chmelevski after the game. “Shot across the grain, it was a good shot. Anytime I like to cut across the ice, I feel more comfortable doing it. It’s more instinct than anything.”

Bakersfield wouldn’t go away quietly. Joey Leleggia cut the lead to the one when he scored his 14th goal on the season. Zach O’Brien skated into the Cuda zone, passed it over to Benson, who one-timed a pass over to Leleggia. With Noah Rod draped all over him, Leleggia snapped a shot past Williams with exactly five minutes left in the period.

Williams made 15 saves on 18 shots to earn the victory. Ellis made 30 saves on 34 shots in valiant effort in the defeat.

“The beautiful thing about hockey is, it’s not always perfect,” said Williams. “It’s about the team who buys in the most and wants it. I think it showed in the final scoreboard.”

GAME NOTES: San Jose was 1/4 on the power play. Bakersfield scored on their only power play opportunity.

All-Star goalie Antoine Bibeau was called up to the San Jose Sharks for their first round playoff series against the Anaheim Ducks. Nick Cafrelli served as the backup goaltender.

Balcers’ four-game goal streak was snapped.

The announced crowd for the final regular season home game was 6,250.

UP NEXT: The Barracuda travel up to Stockton for the final game of the regular season against the Heat on Saturday, April 14 at 7 pm PT.