Jeffery Viel celebrates with Strauss Mann after the San Jose Barracuda’s 3-0 win over the Colorado Eagles at Tech CU Arena on Wednesday NOV 16, 2022. (San Jose Barracuda)

by Marko Ukalovic

SAN JOSE — Strauss Mann is making the most of his opportunities.

The San Jose Barracuda goalie made 21 saves to record his first AHL career shutout in a 3-0 victory over the Colrado Eagles on Wednesday evening at Tech CU Arena.

San Jose has won three out its past four games. San Diego has lost five of its past five six games and only have one win in the month of November.

A week after getting his first AHL win, Strauss didn’t need to do much to earn his first career shutout as San Diego weren’t able to generate many good scoring chances during the game. San Jose had the ice tilted in its favor the majority of the 60 minutes.

After a scoreless opening 20 minutes, the Barracuda broke through the deadlock just past the halfway mark of the second period. Montana Onyebuchi’s pass off the board landed on the foot of Jasper Weatherby and the former 2018 fourth round draft pick roofed a backhander past Gulls goalie Lukas Dostal for his second goal of the season at the 11:02 mark.

San Diego (5-9-0-0) were only able to generate five shots in the middle frame as San Jose’s defense played one of its best periods of the season.

San Jose (7-5-0-1) put the game away with two goals in third period, one early and one late to seal the Gulls fate.

William Eklund sprung an odd man rush for the ‘Cuda with a pass out to the neutral zone. Thomas Bordeleau skated into the Gulls zone on a two-on-one break with Scott Reedy. Bordeleau centered a pass over to Reedy who beat Dostal with a one-timer for his third goal of the season at the 5:00 mark.

San Jose scored its third unanswered goal when Andrew Agozzino snapped a 10-game goaless draught. Reedy carried a turnover at the neutral zone into and centered a backhand pass over to the ‘Cuda captain who rifled home a wrist shot past Dostal for his second goal of the season at the 17:43 mark.

Dostal had a busy night as he made 39 saves on 42 shots in the losing effort.

GAME NOTES: San Jose went 0-for-4 on the power play. San Diego went 0-for-3.

The Three Stars of the Game were: 1) Mann 2) Weatherby 3) Reedy

UP NEXT: San Jose begin a five-game road trip with a two-game weekend series against the Tuscon Roadrunners starting on Saturday 11/19 at 6:00pm at the Tucson Convention Center Arena.