San Jose Barracuda forward Ozzy Wiesblatt was the number one star in his team’s 6-3 win over the San Diego Gull at the Pechanga Arena on Wednesday APR 5, 2023. (San Jose Barracuda)

by Marko Ukalovic

SAN DIEGO — It was a night to remember for Ozzy Wiesblatt.

The rookie forward scored his first ever professional hat trick as the San Jose Barracuda shot down the San Diego Gulls 6-3 on Wednesday evening at the Pechanga Arena.

San Jose gained a point on the Tucson Roadrunners, who lost to the Henderson Silver Knights in a 5-4 shootout, and trail four points behind for the seventh a final playoff spot in the Pacific Division with four games remaining. San Diego has lost eight of its last nine games as it sits in the anchor of the division.

San Diego (20-45-2-1-43 points) drew first blood early in the first period. Chase Priskie scored his sixth goal in a Gulls uniform when he beat ‘Cuda goalie Aaron Dell with a slapshot from the point at the 4:42 mark. Dylan Sikura and Benoit-Olivier Groulx set up Priskie’s 10th overall goal of the season.

San Jose 29-33-1-5-64 points) evened the score late in the opening frame. Shakir Mukhamadullin’s shot from the point was cleaned up by Artemi Kniazev with a backhander past Gulls goalie Gage Alexander for his fifth goal of the season at the 14:16 mark.

The Barracuda took control of the game in the second period scoring even strength goals. Adam Raska set up Danil Gushchin in the slot and the rookie forward spun around and wired a wrist shot past Alexander for his 18th goal of the season at the 5:31 mark.

Gushchin has been a busy guy as he’s been up and down between the Sharks and the Barracuda and has scored in back-to-back games for ‘Cuda head coach John McCarthy.

Wiesblatt scored his first goal of the contest at the 12:27 mark. Nikolai Knyzhov set up Wiesblatt with a back pass at the left point and the former 2020 first round pick of the Sharks sniped home a wrist shot for his fourth goal of the season.

San Jose scored its fourth unanswered goal 59 seconds later with Gushchin’s second goal of the game. The native of Yakaterinberg, Russia skated along from the right boards back up to the point before sending a seeing-eye wrist shot past a screened Alexander for his 19th goal of the season. Mukhamadullin picked up his third assist on the play, recording his first ever multi-point game.

San Diego stopped the bleeding 33 seconds as Groulx lasered in a wrist shot from a tough angle for his 17th goal of the season at the 13:59 mark.

Wiesblatt recorded his second goal of the game late in the middle frame on a penalty shot. Ozzy skated in from left wing, paused before burying a wrist shot past Alexander for his fifth goal of the season at the 17:41 mark. It was the third penalty shot goal in franchise history for San Jose.

Priskie scored his second goal of the game with a power play tally 59 seconds into the third period. Sikura set up Priskie who beat Dell with a one-timer from the left slot for his 11th goal of the season.

Wiesblatt completed his hat trick at the 7:23 mark when he cleaned up a wraparound attempt from Kyle Criscuolo right in front of the crease for his sixth goal of the season.

Dell finished the game stopping 15 of the 18 shots to earn his the victory. Alexander made 35 saves on 41 shots in the losing effort.

GAME NOTES: San Jose finished 0-for-3 on the power play. San Diego went 1-for-1.

The Three Stars of the Gamer were: 1) Wiesblatt 2) Sikura 3) Gushchin.

UP NEXT: San Jose return home for their final two home games of the season as they host the Colorado Eagles on Friday 4/7 at 7:00pm at Tech CU Arena.