The San Jose Barracuda began their road trip off with a bang in their 6-2 win over the Ontario Reign on Wednesday MAR 8, 2022. (San Jose Barracuda)

by Marko Ukalovic

The San Jose Barracuda scored three goals in the second period en route to a 6-2 victory over the Ontario Reign on Wednesday evening at Toyota Center.

San Jose has won two out of its last three games and two in a row over the Reign. The ‘Cuda remain five points behind the Bakersfield Condors for the seventh place and the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. Ontario has lost five games in a row and six out of their last seven.

Ontario (30-21-4-1) drew first blood 66 seconds into the first period on its first shot on goal. ‘Cuda goalie Aaron Dell misplayed the puck from behind the net. Alan Quine thanked Dell for the gift as he wrapped around the puck into an empty net for his eight goal of the season.

San Jose (23-27-1-4) evened the score just over two minutes later with its first shot on net. Adam Raska fed a pass over to Will Riedell who skated in front of Reign goalie Cal Petersen and deposited the puck to the left side of the net for his second goal of the season at the 3:23 mark.

Wiedell has scored both goals of his career against the Reign.

The Barracuda gained its first lead of the game at the 5:04 mark. Off of a faceoff draw inside the Reign zone, Jeffery Viel beat Petersen with a wrist shot for his 11th goal of the season. Viel has scored goals in back-to-back games and extended his point streak to seven.

Ontario scored the equalizer just past the halfway point of the opening frame. Tyrell Goulbourne gathered the puck at the left faceoff circle and snapped home a wrist shot past Dell for his second goal of the season at the 10:06 mark.

San Jose changed the momentum of the game with three unanswered goals in the middle frame.

Kyle Kriscuolo intercepted a pass inside at the Reign blueline and skated in on a breakaway and slid a backhander past Petersen for an unassisted goal, his 13th of the season at the 6:02 mark.

Luke Johnson cleaned up a rebound off a Danil Gushchin shot from the right wing for his 10th goal of the season at the 8:40 mark to give the ‘Cuda an insurance goal after the Reign turned the puck over in the neutral zone that led to the odd man rush for San Jose.

‘Cuda captain Andrew Agozzino put the game away late in the second period with his team leading 21st goal of the season when he finished off a rink wide pass from Riedell with a tap in from the back door. Agozzino extended his point-scoring streak to nine games, one shy of the Barracuda record held by Marcus Sorensen.

Criscuolo concluded the scoring with his second goal of the game, and 14th of the season, with 1:46 remaining in the third period when he banged home a puck in front of the crease from a pass by Thomas Bordeleau.

Dell (9-11-2) finished the evening stopping 24 of the 26 shots he faced to earn the victory and is 3-0 against the Reign this season. Petersen (13-11-4) made 16 saves on 22 shots in the losing effort.

GAME NOTES: San Jose finished 0-for-3 on the power play. Ontario was 0-for-5.

San Jose finished the season series with a 5-3 record against Ontario.

The Three Stars of the Game were: 1) Riedell 2) Lee 3) Goulbourne.

UP NEXT: San Jose travels out to Bakersfield for a two-game weekend series with the Condors on Friday 3/10 at 7:00pm at Mechanics Bank Arena.