Photo credit: @sjbarracuda

By: Marko Ukalovic

SAN JOSE, Calif. — The San Jose Barracuda were able to get back to their winning ways against their NorCal rival the Stockton Heat as they scored two unanswered goals and were able to hold on for a 2-1 victory on Sunday afternoon at SAP Center.

San Jose (22-8-1-3) controlled the tempo in the first period as they doubled up the shots on Stockton (16-18-3-0) 10-5. However, both goalies, Antoine Bibeau (9-5-3) for the Cuda and Jon Gillies (5-11-3) held their ground and kept the game scoreless for the first 19 minutes of the opening frame.

The Cuda would break through 11 seconds before time expired as Antti Suomela deked out Gillies going backhand-to-forehand and beat the Heat goaltender top-shelf for his second goal of the season at the 19:49 mark. Dylan Gambrell and Manny Weiderer received assists.

In the second period, once again, the story would be the goaltending that stole the show. Stockton put on more of a push, but Bibeau was able to stop all 11 shots from the Heat attack. Despite good scoring chances from San Jose, Gillies equaled his counterpart,  stopping all 10 Cuda shots in the middle frame.

In the third period, San Jose doubled their lead on the power play. Alex True fed a pass over to Kyle Wood at the point and Wood fired a wrist shot past a screened Gillies, who never saw the puck go into the back of the net for his third goal of the season at the 9:49 mark. Francis Perron received the secondary assist.

Stockton cut the lead in half when Buddy Robinson cleaned up a rebound off a Kerby Rychel shot that Bibeau made a toe save on. Robinson’s sixth goal of the season came at the 11:34 mark.

Stockton pulled Gillies late in the game for an extra attacker, but weren’t able to get that equalizer as Bibeau and the Cuda held off their late push.

Bibeau finished with 22 saves on 23 shots to earn his ninth victory of the season. Gillies made 31 saves on 33 shots in suffering the defeat.

GAME NOTES: San Jose was 1/2 on the power play. Stockton was 1/3.

With the win San Jose improved to 12-4-0-1 at SAP Center and have the best mark in the Pacific Division.

The announced attendance was 5,740.

UP NEXT: The Barracuda return to action on Friday 1/18 as they host the Texas Stars at 7:00 pm at SAP Center.