San Jose Barracuda winger Tristen Robins (#52) sends a shot on goal as he scored two goals during his team’s 5-3 win over the Colorado Eagles at Tech CU Arena on Sunday NOV 10, 2024. (San Jose Barracuda)

by Marko Ukalovic

SAN JOSE–The streak is over!

Tristen Robins scored two goals to help the San Jose Barracuda defeat the Colorado Eagles 5-3 on Sunday afternoon at Tech CU Arena.

San Jose snapped two streaks as it split the weekend series with the Eagles. They snapped their season long three-game losing streak and 12-game losing streak to their Pacific Division rival. Colorado left Tech CU Arena with losing two of its past three games.

After failing to finish the game the night before against Colorado, San Jose had a chip on its shoulder as they got off to a strong start in the opening frame. The fourth line got things rolling with an even strength goal early in the first period.

Robins led a rush inside the Eagles zone. A centering attempt by Justin Bailey hit off of Keaton Middleton. Donovan Houle picked up the puck and snapped home a wrist shot to the near corner past Eagles goalie Trent Miner for his third goal of the season at the 6:34 mark.

The Barracuda doubled its lead just past the halfway mark with an even strength goal. Andrew Poturalski found Ethan Frisch along the right point. Frisch skated in from the right wing and ripped an identical shot to Houle’s as it went top shelf in the near corner for his second goal of the season at the 11:56 mark.

Colorado cut the Cuda lead in half just under two minutes later. Middleton’s centering pass from the left wing caromed off a sea of traffic in the middle of the crease. Oskar Olausson picked up the loose puck in the middle and buried a wrist shot past Barracuda goalie Georgi Romanov for his third goal of the season at the 13:33 mark.

Both team traded power play goals in the second period that saw the physicality pick up as each team drew two penalties in the middle 20 minutes.

San Jose regained its two-goal lead with its first power play goal of the game after Poturalski finished off a tic-tac-toe goal. Collin Graf sent a pass back up to the point to Luca Cagnoni who made a touch pass down low to Poturalski beat Miner with a wrist shot while falling to his knees for his team leading seventh goal of the season at the 9:07 mark.

Then Colorado scored their power play goal late in the middle frame. Jake Wise set up Jean-Luc Foudy in the left slot and Foudy snapped home a wrist shot past Romanov for his first goal of the season at the 13:56 mark. It was the first goal San Jose’s penalty kill has given a goal down five-on-four. The two other power play goals given up this season were when the Cuda were down 5-on-3.

Robins took over the third period as he scored both of his goal in the final frame. His first came with the Barracuda on the man advantage. Shakir Mukhamadullin found Robins down low in the right slot. Robins skated in and fired a wrist shot that pinballed off of Miner and Jack Ahcan into the back of the net for his second goal of the season at the 2:59 mark.

Robins iced the game for San Jose with 5:36 remaining in the game with his second goal. Brandon Coe got down low inside the Eagles zone. Coe sent a back pass up to the point over to Robins. The veteran forward skated in from the left slot and lasered a wrist shot to the upper right corner of the net for his third goal of the season.

Ahcan completed the scoring as Colorado pulled Miner for an extra attacker. Matthew Phillips centered a pass over to Achan who beat Romanov to the glove side with a wrist shot for his first goal of the season at the 16:22 mark.

Romanov (2-2) stopped 31 of the 34 shots he faced to earn his second win of the season. Miner (3-2-1) made 25 saves on 30 shots in the losing effort.

GAME NOTES: San Jose finished 2-for-5 on the power play. Colorado went 1-for-5.

The Three Stars of the Game: 1) Robins 2) Poturalski 3) Romanov.

UP NEXT: San Jose continues its five-game homestand when they host the San Diego Gulls on Wednesday 11/13 at 7:00pm at Tech CU Arena.