Photo credit: @sjbarracuda

By: Ana Kieu

Two points were on the line for the San Jose Barracuda, who got themselves in a tussle with the Tuscon Roadrunners in the Tuscon Convention Center Saturday night.

San Jose’s starting lineup featured Francis Perron, Alexander True, Dylan Gambrell, Jacob Middleton, Thomas Gregoire and Josef Korenar.

The Barracuda apparently weren’t afraid of the Roadrunners’ terrors. The Cuda got on the board first as Gambrell scored a power play goal at 12:54 of the opening period. Jeffrey Viel and TJ Hensick were credited with the assists. The Roadrunners’ Hudson Fasching was penalized for high-sticking at 13:01 of the period.

The Roadrunners tied the game 1-1 with 2:06 left in the period. Lane Pederson came in clutch and scored his team-leading 17th goal of the season. Jeremy Gregoire and Cam Dineen were credited with the assists.

The score was 1-1 after 20 minutes of play.

Cuda captain John McCarthy lifted the Cuda to a 2-1 lead with a short-handed goal just 2:16 into the second period. However, Tuscon tied the game once again. Pederson scored his second goal of the game to make it a 2-2 game with 8:39 left in the period. Brayden Burke and Robbie Russo were credited with the assists.

The score was 2-2 after 40 minutes of play.

No goals were scored on either end of the ice, which meant that the score remained in a 2-2 deadlock after 60 minutes of play, so the game went into a 4-on-3 overtime, but it wasn’t in favor of the Cuda. Pederson netted a hat trick with his third goal of the game just 59 seconds into overtime. Pederson now has 19 goals on the season. Russo and Michael Chaput were credited with the assists. The Roadrunners edged the Cuda 3-2 in overtime.

Adin Hill stopped 20 saves on 22 shots and allowed two goals in the Roadrunners’ win. Korenar allowed three goals and made 30 saves on 33 shots in a losing effort for the Cuda. Korenar played well, and so did the other Cuda players, but they were sort of overwhelmed in the third period.

Notes: The Sharks reassigned defenseman Nick DeSimone and center Dylan Gambrell to the Cuda Saturday morning.

Up Next: The Cuda conclude their weekend set with game two against the Roadrunners on Sunday at 4:05 pm.