Calgary Wranglers defenseman Mike Benning fights for possession of the puck along the board with San Jose Barracuda forward Anthony Vincent at Tech CU Arena on Friday October 16, 2026. (Calgary Wranglers)
By Marko Ukalovic
SAN JOSE — The San Jose Barracuda came back from three different deficits to defeat the Calgary Wranglers 5-4 on Friday night at Tech CU Arena.
San Jose snapped its three-game losing streak and finished their homestand 2-4. Calgary has lost just for the second time in six games.
Calgary (4-2-0) drew first blood 20 seconds into the game in what was a wild first period. Axle Hurtig scored his third goal of the season when shot from the left point caromed off the skate of Leo Shalin Wallenius past Cuda goalie Eric Comrie. Tyson Gross and Sam Morton were credited with helpers.
San Jose (2-4-0) responded 23 seconds later. Donovan Houle made a quick pass inside Calgary’s zone to Jimmy Huntington. The Cuda captain quickly found Thomas Messineo who got behind the defense and buried a backhander past Wranglers goalie Arsenii Sergeev for his second goal of the season.
Less than two minutes later William Stromgren scored his first goal of the season after poking him a centering pass by Gross at the 2:46 mark. Morton received the secondary assist.
Once again, the Barracuda answered back but this time 22 seconds later with a power play goal. Shalin Wallenius shot from the point pinballed in front of the crease. Brett Leason buried the loose puck into the back of the net for his second goal of the season just nine seconds into the man advantage.
In just over three minutes there were a combined seven shots and four goals.
San Jose gained its first lead just past the halfway mark of the opening frame with an even strength goal. Ethan Cardwell made a one-handed pass from the left boards over to Filip Bystedt who beat Sergeev to the short side with a quick wrist shot for his team leading fourth goal of the season at the 10:39 mark.
Ben Jones continued his hot start as he evened the scored early in the second period. Benning found Jones all alone in the middle of the ice as he skated in and beat Comrie with a wrist shot top shelf for his team leading fifth goal of the season. Jones has scored in four straight games.
Jones made the Cuda pay for their poor puck management while on a four-minute power play. Jones intercepted a poor pass from Gleason and skated down the right wing picking the upper far corner of the net with a wrist shot past Comrie for a short-handed goal, his sixth of the season at the 8:24 mark.
The Barracuda evened the game for a third time late in the middle frame. Huntington from behind the goal line split two Calgary defenders with a pass over to Andre Gasseau. The rookie forward sniped home a hard wrist shot off the left post and into the back of the net for his co-leading fourth goal of the season at the 14:42 mark.
San Jose gained its second lead of the game early in the third period thanks to a brilliant individual effort by Houle. Messineo found Houle with a stretch pass in the neutral zone. Houle skated in from left to right with the entire Wranglers team closing in on him. Houle rifled a wrist shot top shelf past Sergeev for his first goal of the season at the 5:59 mark. Eric Pohlkamp received the secondary assist.
Comrie stopped 26 of the 30 shots he faced to earn his first win of the season. Sergeev made 28 saves on 33 shots in the losing effort.
GAME NOTES: San Jose finished 1-for-4 on the power play. Calgary went 0-for-1.
The Three Stars of the Game: 1) Houle (1G, 2A) 2) Jones (2G, 0A) 3) Huntington (0G, 3A).
UP NEXT: San Jose heads down south to take on the Coachella Valley Firebirds on Friday October 23rd at 7:00pm at Acrisure Arena.
