San Jose Barracuda forward Tanner Kaspick and Bakerfield Condors center Brad Malone battle for position during a 3-2 win by the Condors at Tech CU Arena on Friday evening JAN 12, 2024. (San Jose Barracuda)

by Marko Ukalovic

SAN JOSE — The Bakersfield Condors three unanswered goals, including two early goals in the third period, and held on at the end to defeat the San Jose Barracuda 3-2 on Friday evening at Tech CU Arena.

San Jose has lost four games in a row. Bakersfield has won three games in a row and five of its past six games.

San Jose (11-17-5-0) drew first blood with an even strength goal just past the halfway mark of the first period. Kyle Ray centered a pass from the behind the net out to Ethan Cardwell who beat Condor’s goalie Olivier Rodrigue with a quick shot to the short side for his 10th goal of the season at the 12:12 mark.

Cardwell snapped a six-game goal draught after getting off to a hot start to the season.

Bakersfield (14-10-1-2) out shot San Jose 12-9 in the opening frame but were kept off the scoreboard thanks to ‘Cuda goalie Magnus Chrona making key saves late in the period.

The Condors scored the equalizer with a power play goal near the halfway mark of the second period. Raphael Lavoie centered a pass out to an unmarked Seth Griffith and the veteran forward beat Chrona with a wrist shot for his fourth goal of the season at the 7:47 mark.

Bakersfield gained its first lead of the game 66 seconds into the third period with a short-handed goal. Former ‘Cuda forward Lane Pederson collected a loose puck inside the Barracuda zone. Pederson centered a pass over to Ben Gleason who buried a wrist shot past Chrona for his sixth goal of the season.

That killed us, absolutely killed us,” said ‘Cuda head coach John McCarthy on trailing while on the power play. “It comes down to details, we didn’t have…it was the short-handed goal against it was one guy (on the play). We had three back and lost it. That’s the type (of goal) that’s going to lose you games.”

Gleason is on a four-game goal streak in which he has scored five goals.

The Condors scored their third unanswered goal with its second power play goal of the game over two minutes later. Griffith set up Dylan Holloway, who made his season debut for Bakersfield, who tapped home the puck into an open net for his first goal of the season at the 3:15 mark.

“That’s always a key to our game is staying out of the (penalty) box. We’re not taking retaliation penalties. It’s something we’ve worked on year long. We gotta continue to clean up, we have to get our stick on the puck. We get our stick tied up on people’s feet. No one is going out there trying to trip somebody, but if you get your stick caught in someone feet, you’re playing with fire,” McCarthy said.

Nathan Todd made it a one-game with a 6-on-5 goal when the ‘Cuda pulled Chrona for an extra attacker with 37 seconds remaining in the game. Oskar Lindblom’s wraparound attempt leaked out to the left and Todd cleaned up the rebound for his eighth goal of the season.

Rodrigue (7-2-3) finished the game stopping 36 of the 38 shots he faced to earn his seventh victory of the season. Chrona (4-8-3) made 28 saves on 31 shots in the losing effort.

GAME NOTES: San Jose finished 0-for-2 on the power play. Bakersfield was 2-for-4.

It was the second of the three Tigers Del Mar nights of the season as the Barracuda donned a specialty jersey that consisted of the color purple with orange trim and a tiger logo in the center. The first one was back on October 28, 2023.

The Three Stars of the Game: 1) Gleason 2) Griffith 3) Cardwell.

UP NEXT: San Jose and Bakersfield conclude their home-and-home series on Saturday 1/13 at 7:00pm at Mechanics Bank Arena.