The San Jose Barracuda get swept in their home at home series with the San Diego Gulls this time concluding a two game series at the Pechanga Arena in San Diego on Fri Nov 26, 2021 (photo by San Jose Barracuda)

by Marko Ukalovic

SAN DIEGO—The San Diego Gulls really enjoyed their time against the San Jose Barracuda.

The Gulls used a balanced attack to defeat the ‘Cuda 4-2 on Friday evening at Pechanga Arena.

San Jose have lost four games in a row to its SoCal rival and anchor the bottom of the Pacific Division. San Diego have won games four in a row against its rival from the north.

San Diego (7-6-1-0) drew first blood late in the first period on the power play. Former ‘Cuda killer Danny O’Regan won a faceoff and sent it back to the point where Nicolas Brouillard fired a shot that Brogan Rafferty redirected past ‘Cuda goalie Alexei Melnichuk for his third goal of the season at the 16:55 mark.

O’Regan snapped a five-game goal less draught.

San Jose (5-8-1-0) out shot San Diego 8-6 in the opening 20 minutes.

The Barracuda answered back with a power play goal of their own early in the second period. The Merkley duo of Ryan and Nick helped set up Joachim Blichfeld all alone in the left slot. Ryan sent a pass over to Nick and he found Blichfeld who blasted a one-timer past Gulls goalie Olle Eriksson-Ek for his fourth goal of the season at the 4:05 mark.

Blichfeld has scored all four goals this season on the man advantage. He also registered his first point on the road with the power play goal.

San Diego regained the lead a little more than halfway through the period. Vincent Marleau sent the puck behind the net where Brayden Tracey collected the puck. Tracey skated out to the faceoff circle, turned and fired a shot that beat Melnichuk to the short side for his fifth goal of the season at the 12:02 mark.

The Gulls received an insurance goal in the second half of the third period on the power play. Alex Limoges skated in from the left wing and centered a pass over to Bryce Kindopp who tapped home the perfect pass to the tape into an open net for his second goal of the season at the 13:29 mark.

San Jose cut the lead to a one-goal game with 33 second left. With Melnichuk pulled for an extra attacker, Ryan Merkley fed a pass over to Blichfeld at the left slot. Blichfeld blasted a shot past Ericksson-Ek for his second goal of the night and fifth of the season.

Buddy Robinson closed out the scoring with an empty net goal with one second remaining.

Things were chippy for the majority of the third period as skirmishes ensured after the whistle was blown stopping play. There was no love lost between the two teams after playing four straight games.

Eriksson-Ek finished the night with 26 saves on 28 shots to earn the victory. He is now 5-0 in his career versus San Jose. Melnichuk 22 saves on 25 shots, including to two breakaway attempts, in the losing effort.

GAME NOTES: San Jose finished 1-for-5 on the power play. San Diego was 2-for-4.

The Three Stars of the Game were: 1) Rafferty 2) Tracey 3) Brouillard

UP NEXT: San Jose and Ontario was postponed for tomorrow evening at the Toyota Arena.