The San Jose Barracuda celebrate their 42 victory over the Bakersfield Condors at Tech CU Arena on Sunday OCT 6, 2024. (San Jose Barracuda)

by Marko Ukalovic

The San Jose Barracuda scored three unanswered goals and held to defeat the Bakersfield Condors 4-2 in both team’s preseason finale on Sunday afternoon at Tech CU Arena.

Bakersfield drew first blood early in the first period. Matthew Savoie led a two-and-one odd man rush with Cameron Wright. After a nice give and go, Savoie tapped home the puck into an open net for his first goal of the preseason at the 3:26 mark.

San Jose even the score with a power play goal late in the opening frame. Joey Keane found Andrew Poturalski along the right wing. Poturalski skated in before wiring in a wrist shot past Condors goalie Connor Ungar for his first goal of the preseason at the 17:29 mark.

The Barracuda gained its first lead late in the second period with its second power play goal. A shot from the point of Keane pinballed off of Justin Bailey and behind goalie Brett Brochu. Filip Bystedt poked the puck home for his first goal of the preseason at the 16:36 mark.

San Jose scored its third unanswered goal of the game early in the third period. Gannon Laroque fired a shot toward the net from the point and Donavan Houle redirected the puck past Brochu for his first goal of the preseason at the 4:23 mark.

Bakersfield answered back 30 seconds later when Ethan Ritchie sent a fluttering puck on net. Matvey Petrov, who was camped out in front of the net, redirected the puck past ‘Cuda goalie Georgie Romanov for his first goal of the preseason.

That would be as close as the Condors would get as Tristen Robins closed out the scoring with an short-handed empty net goal, his first of the preseason, with 12 seconds remaining in the game to seal the deal for San Jose.

Romanov stopped 22 of the 24 shots he faced to earn the victory. Brochu made eight saves on 10 shots and Ungar made 19 saves on 20 shots in the losing effort.

GAME NOTES: San Jose finished 2-for-4 on the power play. Bakersfield went 0-for-5.

UP NEXT: San Jose opens the 2024-25 season on the road against the Ontario Reign on Saturday 10/12 at 6:00pm at Toyota Arena.