Photo credit: @sjbarracuda

by Marko Ukalovic

The Colorado Eagles are playing like a team that can’t lose. They scored three unanswered goals in the second period and then held on to beat the San Jose Barracuda on Saturday afternoon at SAP Center.

Colorado (33-22-3-1) has won nine games in a row and have jumped both San Jose and San Diego for second place in the Pacific Division with 70 points. The Cuda have lost five of their past six games.

San Jose (31-19-2-4) drew first blood late in the first period on a 3-on-2 odd man rush. Maxim Letunov sent a pass over to Lukas Radil, who played in his first game since being sent down by the San Jose Sharks, and Radil lasered a wrist shot past Eagles goalie Pavel Francouz (25-13-2) on the far side for his second goal of the season at the 19:00 mark.

In the second period, Colorado took control of the game. Max McCormick sent over a cross-ice pass over to Logan O’Connor on a 2-on-1 opportunity and O’Connor buried a one-timer past Cuda goalie Antoine Bibeau (12-11-5) for his 15th goal of the season at the 3:42 mark.

The Eagles went ahead two goals toward the end of the middle frame when AJ Greer from below the goal line sent a pass over to Igor Shvyrev, who blasted a wrist show over the glove of Bibeau for his sixth goal of the season at the 16:12 mark.

Then, just over a minute later, another 2-on-1 odd man rush led to a mini breakaway for Sheldon Dries, who made a nice deke going forehand-to-backhand as he slid the puck past Bibeau for his third goal of the season at the 17:28 mark for a 3-1 lead.

The Cuda looked like they would have a consecutive game with a third period comeback. Jayden Halbgewachs sent a zone-wide pass over to John McCarthy and the Barracuda captain fired a wrist shot past Francouz for his 10th goal of the season at the 4:47 mark.

However San Jose was not able to get the equalizer late in the period when they pulled Bibeau for an extra attacker.

Francouz stopped 23 of the 25 shots he faced to earn his 25th win of the season. Bibeau made 20 saves on 23 shots in suffering the tough luck loss.

GAME NOTES: San Jose was 0/2 on the power play. Colorado was 0/3.

The announced attendance was 3,353.

UP NEXT: The Barracuda take on the Eagles on Sunday 3/17 at 3:00 pm at SAP Center.