San Jose Barracuda defensemen Cole Clayton (#59) and Luca Cagnoni (#42) help take Ontario Reign forward Jared Wright (#78) to the ground after the whistle during the Barracuda’s 5-4 win at Toyota Arena on Wednesday DEC 31, 2025. (San Jose Barracuda)

by Marko Ukalovic

Lucas Carlsson ended up giving the San Jose Barracuda a Happy New Year.

Carlsson scored the game winning goal with one tenth of a second left on the clock as the Cuda defeated the Ontario Reign 5-4 on New Year’s Eve at Toyota Arena.

Cam Lund sent a cross-ice pass through the crease that hit off the stick off of Reign goalie Phoenix Copley and Carlsson cleaned up the rebound into the back of the net with just one tenth of a second remaining. The goal went to review, and it was deemed a good goal as San Jose escaped with two points in regulation after blowing a two-goal lead.

San Jose concluded the season series with Ontario with a 5-2-1 record including going 3-0-1 at Toyota Arena. They also have won three consecutive road games and three out of their last four overall.

Ontario (18-10-1-1-38 points) drew first blood with a power play goal just past the halfway mark of the first period. Glenn Gawdin sent a pass over to Cole Guttman to the right wing. Guttman looked out in front before unloading a wrist shot past Cuda goalie Gabriel Carriere for his sixth goal of the season at the 10:57 mark. Guttman played in his first game back from a two-game suspension when he had a hit to the head of Quentin Musty back on December 22nd.

San Jose (18-10-1-1-38 points) showed little to none forecheck during the opening frame as they only registered four shots against Reign goalie Phoenix Copley, who only had to make one tough save off of a Musty shot through traffic in front of his crease with under five minutes remaining.

The Barracuda evened the game with an even strength early in the second period. Colin White’s pass behind the net found Kasper Halttunen inside the trapezoid. Halttunen’s back hand pass was tucked home by Oliver Wahlstrom for his ninth goal of the season at the 2:47 mark.

San Jose gained its first lead of the game less than three minutes later. Musty led a two-on-one odd man rush inside Ontario’s zone. Musty sent a cross-ice pass over to an unmarked Ethan Cardwell who buried a one-timer to the short side for his fourth goal of the season at the 5:27 mark.

The Barracuda scored its third unanswered goal with a short-handed goal late in the middle frame. Filip Bystedt initiated a two-on-zero odd man rush inside the neutral zone. Bystedt skated all the way before depositing a wrist shot through the five-hole of Copley for his ninth goal of the season at the 12:41 mark.

Ontario responded just 32 second later moments after their power play opportunity just ended. Jack Hughes sent a backhand pass from behind the net to Kenny Connors at the left wing. Connors sneaked a wrist shot past Carriere to the short side for his seventh goal of the season.

San Jose regained its two-goal lead with 40 seconds left in the middle period with an even strength goal. Egor Afanasyev rifled in a one-timer from the left wing for his fifth goal of the season to cap off a four-goal second period.

Ontario erased San Jose’s two goal lead with two goals in the first 1:45 of the third period. Guttman scored his second goal of the game 1:20 in when he beat Carriere with a wrist shot to the glove side for his seventh goal of the season. Then 25 seconds later on the next shift, Tim Rego cleaned up a rebound into an open net for his first goal of the season.

Carriere (8-6-2-1) finished the game stopping 18 of the 22 shots to earn his eighth win of the season. Copley (7-7-0) made 26 saves on 31 shots in the losing effort.

GAME NOTES: San Jose finished 0-for-1 on the power play. Ontario went 1-for-4.

The Three Stars of the Game:

1) Carlsson (1G, 0A)

2) Guttman (2G, 1A)

3) Rego (1G, 0A)

UP NEXT: San Jose begin the new calendar year with a weekend series against the Bakersfield Condors on Friday January 2nd at 7:00pm at Dignity Health Arena.