Category: AHL

Barracuda on brink of elimination with Game 3 loss to Ontario

Published on by Eric HeLeave a comment

By: Eric He

photo by San Jose Barracuda: The Ontario Reign find the back of the net in their 3-1 win over the San Jose Barracuda to take a 2-1 lead in the AHL Playoffs at Citizens Business Bank Arena Thursday night

The San Jose Barracuda dropped Game 3 to the Ontario Reign 3-1 on Thursday night, and they now trail 2-1 in the best-of-five series.

The Reign dominated on the shot counter, outshooting the Barracuda 43-15. It showed on the scoreboard, as Ontario controlled the first period, jumping ahead 1-0 on a deflection by Adrian Kempe off a shot by Michael Mersch.

In the second period, the Reign took advantage of a major penalty to Trevor Parkes on a power play goal by Nic Dowd. They extended their lead in the third period as Adrian Kempe converted on an odd-man rush.

Troy Groesnick replaced Aaron Dell in net midway through the third for the Barracuda, and Nikolay Goldobin put them on the board shortly afterwards, but it was too little, too late in a two-goal defeat.

In a game where the Barracuda were outplayed and out chanced by the top-seed Reign, they will need a much better effort in Game 4 on Friday if they hope to keep their season alive.

Barracuda Even Up Series, Beat Reign 3-2

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By: Joe Lami

photo by San Jose Barracuda

SAN JOSE, Calif.—Despite being outshot 36-15, the San Jose Barracuda were able to defeat the Ontario Reign 3-2 on Saturday night at SAP Center at San Jose. With the win, the Barracuda tie up the Pacific Division Semi-Final playoff at one game a piece in the best of five series.

Even though, the Reign had more than double the amount of shots as the Barracuda, the game seemed really tight with Ontario not getting great chances. “It was like a chess match out there, not a lot of chances on both sides. They did outshoot us, but quality wise they had a few good ones, but Dell was good when he needed to be and we scored when we needed to,” said Barracuda coach, Roy Sommer.

After battling deflections off in the first period, Reign goaltender Peter Budaj finally let one through after Ryan Carpenter got a piece of a Joakim Ryan shot to give San Jose’s first goal at 3:58 of the second period.

The Barracuda added to their lead ten minutes later, as captain Bryan Lerg showed off his strength with a beautiful power move coming in off the right boards and crashing the net hard, sneaking the puck past Budaj to make it 2-0. Ryan picked up his second assist of the game and ‘Cuda goaltender Aaron Dell earned his second assist of the series helping break out the play. “I beat the D wide, buried the shoulder and went to the far post to see what happens,” said Lerg.

Ontario made it interesting, opening up the scoring just 2:40 into the third period. Kurtis MacDermid picked up his second goal of the series on a rocket wrist shot from the right point. Dell didn’t even have a chance at making the save.

San Jose scored the game winning goal at 8:23 after a beautiful give and goal between Nikolay Goldobin and Jeremy Langlois in which Langlois fed it cross crease for an easy tap in for Goldobin. Ryan picked up the secondary assist, earning his third point of the night. “That’s one of those things you work on in practice. You kick it wide and have a middle lane drive. It’s good when it works out,” added Langlois.

After pulling their goalie with two minutes remaining in the game, Ontario used it to their advantage tallying their second goal with .35 seconds remaining. Jonny Brodzinski scored his second of the series after a beautiful no-look backhand pass from Nick Dowd on the side wall for an easy tap in. However, it would be too little too late, as San Jose was able to close out the rest of the game to secure the victory.

The first round series continues on Thursday in Ontario with game three.

Barracuda drop Game 1 to Reign

Published on by Eric HeLeave a comment

By: Eric He

photo by the San Jose Barracuda

The San Jose Barracuda played a tight contest against the Ontario Reign on Friday night in Game 1 of the Pacific Division Semifinals, but came up short in a 2-1 defeat at SAP Center on Friday night.

Trailing 1-0 heading into the third period, the Barracuda got the tying goal six minutes in courtesy of Nikita Jevpalovs, who finished off a beautiful toe drag to even the score.

But with less than five minutes to go, Jonny Brodzinski recorded the game-winning tally for Ontario, scoring from point-blank after being left wide open in front.

It was a scoreless first period, and the game’s first goal did not come until the 40th shot of the game on a long blast by the Reign’s Kurtis MacDermid.

The Barracuda failed to score on four power play opportunities and the Reign outshot the Barracuda 37-29.

Game 2 will be Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at the SAP Center.

San Jose Barracuda Sunday game wrap: Barracuda Clinch Playoff Spot, Dominate in Regular Season Finale

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By Matthew T.F. Harrington

photo credit San Jose Barracuda: Barracuda celebrate on home ice at SAP Center after clinching for a playoff spot in 6-0 win over the Stockton Heat on Sunday

SAN JOSE, Calif. – Sunday afternoon’s contest at the SAP Center was do-or-die for the San Jose Barracuda. The math was simple; earning a single point from the game would put them in the Calder Cup Playoffs in their inaugural season. Losing in regulation meant the Charlotte Checkers would move over to the Western Conference, taking the final spot by virtue of a higher points-percentage.

“To be honest with you, I was a nervous wreck all day,” added Barracuda coach Roy Sommer.

With everything at stake, coach Roy Sommer’s charges responded to the pressure with a dominant 5-0 blanking of the visiting Stockton Heat.

“It’s hard to get into the playoffs,” said Sommer. “It means your team has to be doing something right.”

6 different players scored, and Jeremey Morin, Nikolay Goldobin and Jeremy Langlois notched multi-point games for playoff bound Barracuda (31-26-8-3). Aaron Dell made 41 saves for his 4th shutout of the season, denying the Stockton Heat (32-32-2-2) an opportunity to play spoiler.

“We could have gone with Grosenick today,” said Sommer. “(Dell) is the one who earned where he’s sitting right now. I went back with him and I thought he was excellent tonight.”

Barracuda forward Barclay Goodrow must have been taken notes on his sometimes-teammate with the San Jose Sharks Joe Pavelski. Goodrow opened the game’s scoring 5:11 into play on an identical move to the Shark’s captain’s game-winning goal in the opening game of the Stanley Cup playoffs against Los Angeles.

Goodrow skated with the puck behind the Heat net, turned the corner around the cage and about-faced to square up with the goal. The winger elevated the puck past Stockton goaltender Nick Schneider for his 20th tally, moving him into a tie with Nikolay Goldobin for the team lead at that time. The tandem of former Ivy League defenseman Gus Young and Joakim Ryan assisted on the goal.

“I thought he was one of our better players tonight,” said Sommer. “He played heavily, went to the net, did a lot of good things.”

San Jose struck once again 1:28 later on tenacious work along the board by Jeremy Langlois. The hard-nosed winger took puck along the boards behind Schneider’s right shoulder while avoiding being checked off the puck. From there, Langlois dropped the puck along the wall to Goldobin. Goldobin slid the puck back to Langlois who had peeled off into the slot for a one-timer. Langlois ripped the puck past Schneider for his 12th of the campaign.

“You could sense it in the dressing room,” said Sommer. “The intensity in the dressing room. The first ten minutes meant business.”

The Barracuda added a pair of goals in the 2nd period with the first strike coming on a piece of smooth passing from the San Jose captain. Bryan Lerg took a puck to Schneider’s right and slid it to a crashing Trevor Parkes. Parkes redirected the puck past Schneider’s left toe for his 18th goal of the season and 3rd of the weekend to put San Jose up 3-0 12:54 into the period.

Goldobin wrestled the scoring lead away from Goodrow just outside the final minute of the period. The Russian winger lifted a puck over Schneider that sent the keeper’s water bottle soaring for a commanding 4-0 lead. Langlois (1g, 1a) and Jeremey Moring (2a) picked up their second points of the evening, assisting on Goldobin’s 21st goal of the year.

“It’s hard to score 20 goals in the American League as a vet, let alone a rookie,” said Sommer. “The talent is coming to the forefront with him. Other coaches are saying ‘Man, that 82 is something.’”

Morin notched his 3rd point of the game on his 16th goal of the season, giving the Barracuda plenty of distance in the opening minutes of the 3rd period.

Noted pugilist Alex Gallant used his hands for something other than fighting, netting his first career AHL goal with 29.4 second remaining in the 3rd. Jordan Sims assisted on the goal for his first point with the Barracuda.

By virtue of earning the final spot in the big dance, the Barracuda will face off against Los Angeles Kings affiliate, the Ontario Reign. The Kings AHL affiliate in 2015, the Manchester Monarchs, took home the Calder Cup last season before LA bumped Ontario up from the ECHL. The Barracuda went 3-6-3 against Ontario in the season series.

“We played them pretty hard all year,” said Sommer. “We played really tight. They haven’t been blowouts by any means.”

“They’ve had our number all year,” added forward Trevor Parkes. “But every game has been a one-goal game. We’ve got all week to prepare.”

San Jose Barracuda Saturday post game wrap: Barracuda fail to clinch playoff spot against Stockton

Published on by Eric HeLeave a comment

By: Eric He

photo credit: San Jose Barracuda

The San Jose Barracuda were 20 minutes away from clinching a playoff spot, but they will have to wait another day after blowing a third period lead to the Stockton Heat in a 5-4 loss on Saturday night.

Up 4-3 in the third period, the Barracuda allowed two goals in 84 seconds. Kenny Agostino tied the game for the Heat, and then Hunter Shinkaruk converted on a wraparound moments later to give the Heat the lead.

The Barracuda had come back from a 3-1 deficit to take a 4-3 advantage with three goals in the second period. Nikolay Goldobin cut the lead to one less than two minutes into the second and Nikita Jevpalovs tied the game at 13:56. And less than a minute later, Trevor Parkes delivered a spectacular coast-to-coast goal to give San Jose the lead.

San Jose had fallen behind 3-1 after one period. The Heat converted on their first shot on goal and a late power play goal gave them a two-goal lead into first intermission.

The Barracuda need just one point to clinch a playoff spot, but just one game remains: another date against the Heat, this one at SAP Center on Sunday.

Barracuda fail to gain ground on playoff spot with loss to Stars

Published on by Eric HeLeave a comment

By: Eric He

After an impressive 3-0 shutout over the Stars on Friday night, the San Jose Barracuda could not repeat the result on Saturday, as they were defeated 8-5 by Texas to remain out of the playoff picture.

The Charlotte Checkers, who lost earlier on Saturday, currently occupy the eighth and final playoff spot, but the Barracuda are just percentage points behind them with two games left to play.

It was a disappointing loss for the Barracuda, considering they held a 5-2 lead in the second period, only to have the Stars put six unanswered on the board to win the game.

The Stars trimmed the three goals Barracuda advantage down to one before the end of the second, scoring twice in the period’s final two minutes. They tallied four more times in the third. Justin Dowling evened the score at 5-5 less than two minutes into the final period, and Madej Stransky gave the Stars the lead at the midway point.

Dowling scored again and Jason Dickinson provided extra insurance for Texas, which ended up running away with an 8-5 victory.

It was all fun and games for the Barracuda early on. John McCarthy and Ryan Carpenter helped San Jose jump out to a 2-1 lead after the first period of play, and Carpenter scored again early in the second period. Jeremy Langlois and Barclay Goodrow also tallied to give the Barracuda five goals.

But it wasn’t enough, as Aaron Dell faced 51 shots from Dallas and stopped just 43 of them.

The Barracuda have a week off before taking on the Stockton Heat next Saturday on the road.

San Jose Barracuda Friday post game wrap: Barracuda shut out Stars for crucial road win

Published on by Eric HeLeave a comment

By: Eric He

photo credit: San Jose Barracuda

Fighting for a playoff spot with the regular season winding down, the San Jose Barracuda notched a crucial win on Friday night on the road over the Texas Stars as they recorded a 3-0 shutout.

Aaron Dell recorded 33 saves to help the Barracuda claw closer to the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. With a 30-24-8-3 record, the Barracuda now trail the 36-38-2-5 Charlotte Checkers by mere percentage points.

The Barracuda scored a goal in each period to methodically pull away from the Stars. Bryan Lerg struck first at the 7:30 mark of the first period, finishing on a nifty backhand off a loose puck in front.

They doubled up on the lead less than a minute into the second period. Julius Bergman connected on a one-timer off a pass from Ryan Carpenter to give the Barracuda a 2-0 lead. Though San Jose was outshot 16-3 in the second, Dell stopped all 16 shots to preserve the two-goal advantage.

An empty-net goal by Nikolay Goldobin in the third period sealed the pivotal win for the Barracuda.

The Barracuda are back at it against the Stars again on Saturday in Dallas.

San Jose Barracuda Wednesday game wrap:Barracuda fall in overtime on the road in San Antonio

Published on by Eric HeLeave a comment

By: Eric He

photo credit San Jose Barracuda

The San Jose Barracuda were defeated by the San Antonio Rampage 4-3 on the road Wednesday night, unable to pull off the overtime win. But they did earn a crucial point that pulled them percentage-points closer to the Checkers for the eighth and final playoff spot.

Down 3-2 in the third period, the Barracuda evened the score midway through the third on a power play goal by Bryan Lerg, his second of the night. But the game headed to overtime, where Gary Nunn beat Barracuda goaltender Aaron Dell a little over two minutes in to win the game for San Antonio.

It was deflating considering the Barracuda had jumped out to a 2-0 lead. Just 15 seconds into the game, Lerg found the back of the net to give San Jose a 1-0 advantage. Then, midway through the first, Petter Emanuelsson notched his third goal in four games and it was a two-goal lead for the Barracuda heading into the second.

But the Rampage responded with three unanswered goals. Borna Rendulic connected on a power play in the second period and Ben Street tied the game at 2-2 less than a minute into the third. A wraparound goal by Brandon Gormley four minutes later gave the Rampage their first lead.

The Barracuda battled back, but it was not enough as they fell to 4-8 in overtime games this season. There are four games left in the regular season as the push for the playoffs continues, with San Jose endeavoring to claim the final berth in the Western Conference.

San Jose Barracuda Friday game wrap: Barracuda struggle on special teams in loss to Bakersfield

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By: Eric He

photo credit: San Jose Barracuda

The San Jose Barracuda fell to the Bakersfield Condors 4-2 on Friday night on the road, with all four Bakersfield goals coming on special teams.

The Condors converted on two power plays in addition to scoring a shorthanded goal and an empty-netter to put away the victory. With six games remaining, the Barracuda fall out of the eighth and final playoff spot in the West behind the Checkers.

San Jose trailed 1-0 after the first period as Bakersfield converted less than two minutes into the game with a shorthanded marker, as Rob Klinkhammer scored on an odd-man rush. The Condors in rapid succession in the second period, finding the back of the net twice in a 38-second span on consecutive power play goals as the Barracuda were shorthanded 5-on-3.

Down 3-0, the Barracuda got one back late in the second period Ryan Carpenter scored from the left circle to put San Jose on the board. They clawed within a goal with less than five minutes to play in the second period on a power play goal by Jeremy Morin, but an empty-netter from the Condors ended the Barracuda’s hope at a comeback.

As their fight for a playoff spot ramps up, the Barracuda head to San Diego to face the Gulls on Saturday.

San Jose Barracuda defeat their nemesis, the Ontario Reign. Keep their playoff hopes alive

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by Jerry Feitelberg

photo credit: San Jose Barracuda

SAN JOSE–The San Jose Barracuda entered Wednesday night’s game with the Western Conference-leading Ontario Reign in desperate need of a win. The Barracuda trailed the Charlotte Checkers for the eighth and final playoff spot with a winning percentage of .550. The Checkers percentage is .551. The Barracuda won the game 3-1 to keep their playoff hopes alive. Aaron Dell entered the game with goals against average on 2.29 and a save percentage of .924. Dell was up to the task as he stopped thirty-four shots and allowed just one goal. Veteran Peter Budaj started in goal for Ontario. Budaj had a sparkling 1.73 goals against average and a .939 save percentage. However, The Barracuda beat him three times and sent him to the bench late in the second period. Michael Houser finished the game in goal for the Reign.

The Barracuda and the Reign played a fairly even first period until the Barracuda broke through when winger Petter Emmanuelson spun around, and his shot made it past the Reign’s veteran goaltender Peter Budaj for the tally. The score came at the 15:18 mark of the period. The Barracuda almost had another goal when Nikolay Goldobin made a great pass to Scott Timmins came in alone, but Budaj was up to the task and made the save. The Barracuda had two power play opportunities, but the Reign was able to kill the penalties. The Reign also had two power play opportunities and the Barracuda was able to keep them from scoring. The Barracuda had an 8-7 edge in the shots on goal department. The Barracuda leads 1-0 after one period of play.

Early in the second stanza, the Reign missed on a terrific opportunity to tie the game. Reign winger Matt Schmaltz found himself in all alone on top of Barracuda goalie Aaron Dell. Dell blocked the shot, and the defense cleared the puck to keep he Reign off the board. The Barracuda made it 2-0 at with 5:41 played. Barracuda captain, Bryan Lerg collected a rebound, then spun around and let go with a shot that found its way into the net. Trevor Parkes and Gus Young assisted. The Barracuda scored the second goal of the period and third of the night at 10:25. Nikolay Goldobin entered the zone on the left side of the ice. Just as he reached the red line, he fired a shot that beat Budaj over his left shoulder. For Goldobin, it was his eighteenth goal of the year. Gus Young picked up his second assist of the night and the second assist on the play went to Joakim Ryan. Ontario coach Mike Strothers decided to remove Budaj and replaced him with backup goalie Michael Houser. With just 1:08 left to play in the second period, the Reign’s Kris Newbury scored to make it a 3-1 game. Newbury beat Dell as he couldn’t cover the right side of the net in time. The Reign’s Jonny Brodzinski and Jeff Schultz assisted.

There was no scoring in the third period. The Reign poured it as they tried to score the two goals they needed to tie the game. The Barracuda’s defense was strong, and Aaron Dell was magnificent in goal as he made 34 saves in winning his fifteenth game of the season. The Barracuda win 3-1.

The Barracuda have seven games left to play this year. Six of the seven are on the road, and the Barracuda end the season against the Stockton Thunder on Sunday, April 17th at 3 pm at the SAP Center. It will be Fan Appreciation day so be there.