McCarthy’s hat trick powers Barracuda over Monsters 6-2

Photo credit: @sjbarracuda

By Marko Ukalovic

SAN JOSE — The two worst two scoring teams in the AHL put on a fireworks show on Friday evening at the SAP Center. Led by captain John McCarthy’s first ever career hat trick, as well as the franchise’s first, the San Jose Barracuda (25-22-3-3) dominated the Cleveland Monsters (20-30-4-3) in a 6-2 victory. Coming into the game, San Jose had scored a league worst 128 goals while Cleveland only had 138.

The Monsters would draw first blood early in the first period when Nathan Gerbe was able to score his second goal of the season at the 4:47 mark. Sam Vigneault carried the puck into the Cuda zone and passed the puck over to Gerbe who fired a shot from the left point that slid past the five-hole of a screened Antoine Bibeau (17-11-2) for a 1-0 lead.

The power play would be good to San Jose on this night. The Cuda tied the game up on their first power play opportunity when Jacob Middelton needled a pass to Brandon Mashinter who, in a spin-o-rama motion, made a behind the back pass to a wide-open Adam Helewka, who buried the puck past Monsters goalie Matiss Kivlenieks (11-17-2) for his eighth goal of the season at the 9:18 mark of the first period.

Just under three minutes later, the Cuda would strike again on the power play when McCarthy was the fortunate recipient of a Rourke Chartier shot that deflected right to McCarthy after hitting Kivlenieks. McCarthy snapped the puck in the back of the net for his eighth goal of the season at the 12:10 mark. It was McCarthy’s first goal since coming back from the Olympics in South Korea.

“It’s been kind of a thorn in our side all year,” said head coach Roy Sommer on his team’s power play futility. “They kind go in waves, the power play (goals). It’s like the Sharks, I thought their power plays looked real good. They hadn’t scored in 10 games (until last game). They weren’t getting any bounces. We had a couple of bounces tonight.”

The lead wouldn’t last longer than 41 seconds when the Monsters were able to take advantage of a bad clearing attempt that resulted in a turnover to Brady Austin, who immediately fired the puck that hit Bibeau resulting in a big rebound that found the stick of Justin Scott, who buried the puck past Bibeau for his fifth goal of the season.

McCarthy gave the lead back to the Cuda early in the second period with his second goal of the evening. Rudolfs Balcers raced down the left wing and was able to make a spectacular pass between two Monster defenders from just behind the net over to a wide-open McCarthy, who was left all alone in the middle of the slot to snap the pack over the right shoulder of Kivlenieks for his ninth goal of the season at the 3:28 mark.

“One of our strengths is our speed,” said McCarthy. “Every game we’re looking to drive wide (along the boards) and generate chances that way. For whatever reason, we had more success with it tonight. So it was good to see.”

Cleveland had a chace to get back in the game when they started the third period on the power play that carried over from the second period. Terry Broadhurst walked in all alone and deked out Bibeau only to have his back hand attempt sail over the net early.

The Cuda took control of the game with two goals in 50 seconds. Their fourth goal of the game was a result of a battle along the right boards by won by Alexander True. He fed the puck over to McCarthy, who quickly fired a pass over to Balcers in the right slot and snapped home a shot past Kivlenieks for his team leading 15th goal of the season at the 4:40 mark.

Sam Warning skated down the right boards making a pretty cross-ice feed through the crease to a wide open Brandon Mashinter who fired it into an empty net for his eighth goal of the season at the 5:30 mark for a 5-2 lead.

“It was great to see,” said Mashinter regarding his team’s offensive outburst. “We haven’t had one of those in a long time. For me to get that (the goal) it was a huge monkey off my back.”

The Cuda finished out the scoring when McCarthy won a clean face off and sent the puck back to the point where defenseman Zach Frye, who was making his debut with the Cuda, wristed a shot that McCarthy positioned himself perfectly in the middle of slot to tip the puck past for Kivlenieks to complete hat trick. His 10th goal came at the 14:58 mark.

Bibeau, who didn’t allow another goal in the final 47:09 of the game, made 30 saves on 32 shots for the victory. Kivlenieks suffered the defeat making 32 saves on 38 shots.

GAME NOTES: San Jose was 2/3 on the power play and perfect on the penalty kill with Cleveland going 0/4.

Frye, who just signed out of the University of Alaska-Fairbanks this week, scored 11 goals and a career high 34 points his senior season for the Nooks. Helweka suffered a lower body injury with over 12 minutes remaining in the third period. He was injured on a hit along the boards. He left the game under his own power. He is listed as questionable for tomorrow’s game. Colby McAuley and Garret Cockerill spared off with each other early in the third period after McAuley took exception to Cockerill’s high hit near the boards on Chartier.

The announced attendance was 3,684.

UP NEXT: The Barracuda conclude their four-game homestand on the back end of their weekend series against Cleveland on Saturday at 5:30 pm PT.

San Jose Barracuda podcast with Marko Ukalovic: Barracuda look to extend two-game win streak with two-game series against Cleveland Monsters Friday

Photo credit: @sjbarracuda

On the San Jose Barracuda podcast with Marko:

1 Two-game win streak for the San Jose Barracuda after getting by the Bakersfield Condors on Friday and the Ontario Reign on Sunday. Both games were at the SAP Center. The Cuda are trying to improve on losing two two-game series, going 0-4 in February in back-to-back games.

2 The Cuda have had shootout problems, but were able to overcome them on Sunday as the Cuda’s Michael Brodzenski scored the only goal in the shootout.

3 In the shootout, Cuda goalie Antoine Bibeau stopped all three of the Reign’s shots.

4 The Reign scored early at 12:46 in the first period on Oscar Fratenberg’s shot from the point that created a scrum in front of the net. The Reign’s Andrew Crescenzi scored past Bibeau for the Reign’s only goal of the night.

5 In the second period, the Cuda’s Radim Simek intercepted a clearing attempt and shot from the left circle for his fifth goal of the season at 18:38 for the tie.

6 The Barracuda host the Cleveland Monsters for two games in a back-to-back starting on Friday night at 7:00 pm at SAP Center in San Jose, Calif.

Marko Ukalovic is the San Jose Barracuda beat writer at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

Barracuda win second in a row in a 2-1 shootout victory over Reign

Photo credit: @sjbarracuda

By Marko Ukalovic

SAN JOSE — The shootout hasn’t been too kind to the San Jose Barracuda (24-22-3-3), but they were able to change their fortunes with a 2-1 shootout victory over the Ontario Reign (27-19-4-2) on Sunday afternoon at SAP Center.

Michael Brodzinski scored the only goal in the shootout and Antone Bibeau (16-11-2) stopped all three Reign attempts to preserve the Cuda’s second win in a row on their current four-game homestand.

Ontario would draw first blood at the 12:46 mark of the first period. Oscar Frantenberg fired a shot from the point that Bibeau saved off his blocker, creating a rebound in front of the crease. After a mad scramble in front of the net, Andrew Crescenzi was able to get a hold of the puck and shoot it past Bibeau for his 11th goal of the season. The goal came seconds after the Cuda killed off a penalty by Jacob Middleton.

The best scoring chance in the period for San Jose came at the eight-minute mark. Filip Sandberg’s tip-in attempt was stopped by Reign goalie Cal Petersen (16-9-1) as well as Rourke Chartier’s rebound chance immediately after.

The Cuda’s top line of John McCarthy, Rudolfs Balcers and Adam Helewka created sustained pressure five minutes into the second period, but were unable to put the pack in the back of the net, despite numerous shots on goal.

Bibeau made a nice save on Matt Roy’s shot that came on a 3-on-2 odd man with three and a half minutes left in the period.

“I saw the puck really well,” said Bibeau after the game. “The boys played hard and really well. On top of that the effort was there, which is one thing that has been lacking in the last few weeks was lacking. There’s 16 games left and we’re really looking forward to it.”

The Cuda tied the score late in the second period when Radim Simek was able to intercept a clearing attempt by Ontario and snapped a shot from just atop the left circle that snuck past Petersen to lower left corner of the net for his fifth goal of the season at the 18:38 mark.

There was no scoring in the third period, however, McCarthy had two separate scoring chances on an abbreviated power play with five minutes left in the period as he whacked at the puck twice each time in front of the crease only to have Petersen send him away empty-handed. Ontario out shot the Cuda 10-8 in the period.

“It was kind of a broken play,” said McCarthy. “The puck squirted over to me and I had two pretty clear looks, tried to beat him and he saved them. As long as the chances keep coming, I think we’ll be going in the right direction.”

The overtime would also go scoreless. Bibeau made two critical saves in overtime. First on Alex Lintuniemi and then on Michael Mersch on a breakaway.

“He’s been solid for us all year,” said head coach Roy Sommer about his #1 goalie. “If he can stay to (only allowing) one goal per game we’ll get in (to the playoffs), let’s put it that way.”

Bibeau’s impressive day concluded with 38 saves on 39 shots for the victory, while Petersen suffered the defeat, making 28 saves on 29 shots.

GAME NOTES: San Jose’s power play–the worst in the AHL–was 0/2, while Ontario also went 0/2.

Cuda defenseman Calvan Firtzgerald suffered a lower body injury in the first period and did not return to the game. He is listed as day-to-day.

Things got chippy in the third period when there were to separate skirmishes on both sides of the net. Neither resulted in any penalties.

The announced attendance was 4,095.

UP NEXT: The Barracuda continue their four-game homestand with a weekend series against the Cleveland Monsters beginning on Friday night on March 9 at 7 pm PT.

SJ Barracuda snap four-game losing streak with 2-1 overtime victory over Condors

Photo credit: @sjbarracuda

By Marko Ukalovic

SAN JOSE — Rourke Chartier isn’t Superman, but he was a super hero for 4,994 screaming kids on Cuda Classroom Day with his game-winning goal in overtime to give the San Jose Barracuda (23-22-3-3) a 2-1 victory over the Bakersfield Condors (21-21-8-1) and snapped the Cuda’s four-game losing streak on Friday afternoon at SAP Center.

Chartier’s heroics came after taking a feed from Adam Helewka and firing home a shot past Condors goalie Laurent Brossoit (6-5-3) into the back of the net at the 3:04 mark of the overtime period. Chartier has been playing some solid hockey for San Jose since coming off injured reserve, where he missed 30 games.

It looked like Bakersfield was going to spoil the party when they opened up the scoring just 11 seconds after the opening faceoff. Zach O’Brien won a battle along the left boards and was able to make a pass over to a wide-open Joey Laleggia in the middle of the slot. Laleggia skated in all alone on Cuda goalie Antoine Bibeau (15-11-2) and snapped a shot past Bibeau for his ninth goal of the season.

The Cuda had three chances to tied the game late in the first period. Helweka missed a penalty shot at the 14:45 mark. Caleb Herbert’s shot hit off the post with four minutes left in the first period. Brandon Mashinter received a gift from Brossoit when he turned the puck over right to Mashinter’s stick five feet to the left of the net, but the Cuda forward wasn’t able to cash in on his golden opportunity.

San Jose’s woeful power play would get them on the board in the secod period. Rudolfs Balcers received a pass from the behind the net and fed it out to an open Julius Bergman at the right point, who blasted a shot past Brossoit for his seventh goal of the season to tie the game up at 1-1. Calvan Fitzgerald also received the secondary assist at the 10:15 mark.

The third period featured a parade to the penalty box as both teams combined for nine penalties as things got chippy out on the ice. The Cuda squandered a 5-on-3 power play opportunity early on in the period when Caleb Jones and Brad Malone both went to the sin bin for high sticking 46 seconds apart. San Jose also couldn’t capitalize on the power play with just over two minutes to play in the third period when Bakersfield’s Eric Gryba was called for slashing.

Bibeau earned the win making 23 saves on 24 shots to snap his own personal losing streak. Brossoit suffered the tough luck loss, stopping 35 Cuda shots on 37 attempts.

GAME NOTES: San Jose was a dreadful 1/10 on the power play, while Bakersfield was just as ineffective, going 0/6.

This was the first annual Cuda Classroom Day. The game featured captain John McCarthy’s first game back with the Cuda since returning from the Olympics as a member of Team USA in Pyeongchang, South Korea. FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT! There were two fights in the first period. Emerson Clark and Even Polei scrapped two minutes into game. Jon Martin and Keegan Lowe dropped the gloves at the 8:35 mark of the first period.

UP NEXT: The Barracuda continue their four-game homestand when they take on their Southern California rival Ontario Reign on Sunday afternoon at the SAP Center. Face off is scheduled for 12 pm PT.

San Jose Barracuda Podcast with Marko Ukalovic: School day promo early start for Cuda Friday and hoping to snap 3-game skid on Friday; Brodeur sign try agreement with Cuda

sjbarracuda.com file photo: Jeremy Brodeur (35) who signed a tryout agreement with the San Jose Barracuda from ECHL Allentown Americans

On the SJ Barracuda Podcast with Marko:

1 San Jose Barracuda (22-22-3-3), who have lost four straight games including their last game against the Bakersfield Condors (21-20-7-1), they have now lost eight of their last nine games

2 The Cuda in the loss to the Condors saw goals by Ty Rattie, Grayson Downing, Brad Marlowe, and Josh Currie. The Cuda defense couldn’t hold them off

3 Antoine Bibeau (14-11-2) allowed 37 shots was it a matter of Bibeau not getting protection up front or did he just get beat by some skillful shooting

4 The Barracuda signed goaltender Jeremy Brodeur to a tryout agreement from the ECHL Allen Americaans in 35 games. Brodeur has a 3.14 goals against average.

5. Day game at 11AM on Friday morning at SAP Center it’s school day promotion. It’s school day and kids will be entering SAP to take in the Bakersfield Condors and Barracuda contest for their field trip.

Marko does the Barracuda podcast each Wednesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

Condors’ power play dooms Barracuda in 4-1 victory

photo from sjbarracuda.com: San Jose Barracuda Rourke Chartier (60) center is sandwiched fighting for the puck between the Bakersfield Condors Dillion Simpson (3) and Ethan Bear (24) during Friday night’s contest at Rabonbank Arena in Bakersfield

By Marko Ukalovic

The San Jose Barracuda (22-22-3-3) are continuing their slippery downfall after the Bakersfield Condors (21-20-7-1) scored three power play goals to power their way to a 4-1 victory Friday evening at Rabobank Arena. It was the fourth consecutive loss and eight out of their last nine games for the Cuda.

The Condors drew first blood at the 16:05 mark of the first period when Ty Rattie found Zach O’Brien in the slot after slipping a zone-entry check and O’Brien snapped a shot under Cuda Antoine Bibeau’s (14-11-2) left arm for his fourth goal on the season.

Alex True tied the game at 1-1 just 17 seconds into the second period when Radim Simek won a one-on-three battle behind the Condors net before centering a pass to True, who snapped a shot in from the low slot past Condor goalie Laurent Brossoit (6-4-2).

Bakersfield would recapture its lead on the power play as Grayson Downing fired a shot past Bibeau from close range along the left side and then at the 19:09 mark for his third goal of the season. Brad Malone deflected the Condors’ third goal of the night through the five-hole of Bibeau just 12 seconds into Bakersfield’s fifth man-advantage for his 13th goal of the season.

In the third period, Josh Currie would ice the game for the Condors when scored his 14th goal of the season on the team’s eighth power play at the 13:19 mark thanks to a Barracuda failure to clear a rebound from the low slot.

Bibeau suffered the loss after allowing four goals on 37 shots. Brossoit collected the win by making 20 saves on 21 shots.

GAME NOTES: San Jose was 0/3 on the power play, while Bakersfield went 3/8.

San Jose went 0-3-1 on their four game road trip. The announced attendance was 4,591.

UP NEXT: The Barracuda come back to SAP Center next Friday 3/2 when they host the Bakersfield Condors at 11 am PT.

Barracuda fail in comeback attempt in 5-2 loss to Reign

Photo credit: @sjbarracuda

By: Marko Ukalovic

The Ontario Reign (25-19-3-1) scored three goals in the first period and held on with two late insurance goals to defeat the San Jose Barracuda (22-21-3-3) 5-2 on Wednesday evening at Citizens Business Bank Arena. The loss is the third in a row and seven out of their last eight games for San Jose.

The Reign didn’t waste any time getting off to a fast start when Matt Moulson drew first blood after Brett Sutter won a clean faceoff. He was able to pass it back to the point where Sean Walker blasted a slap shot that Moulson tipped past Cuda goalie Troy Grosenick (6-9-4) at the 2:57 mark of the first period.

Sutter would give the Reign a 2-0 lead when he scored a short-handed goal 59 seconds into a Cuda power play when the puck ricocheted off of Matt Roy’s stick and found a wide open Sutter who skated in on a breakaway and slid the puck right through the five-hole of Grosenick for his 10th goal at the 6:36 mark.

The Reign received a gift from Jacob Middleton when he turned over the puck to Justin Auger who skated it in all alone on Grosenick and was able to sneak the puck past the five-hole for his seventh goal of the season. The unassisted goal gave Ontario a 3-0 lead at the 10:25 mark.

Ontario had the ice tilted in their favor throughout the entire first period as they out shot San Jose 19-6. The Cuda weren’t able to get any of the goals back, despite three power play opportunities.

Colby Mcauly was able to get the Cuda on the board when he scored the first goal of his AHL career when he was able to poke home a rebound of a shot from Radem Simek. Simek’s shot sailed over the goal where McCauly was able to collect the puck off the back wall and put it past Reign goalie Cal Petersen’s (14-9-0) top self at the 6:29 mark of the second period.

Alexander True brought the Cuda to within one goal when he scored a power play goal when his wrap around shot deflected off the left pad of Petersen and trickled into the back of the net. True’s eighth goal of the season came on an extended power play with the Reign’s Stepan Falkovski in the sin bin for a double-minor high sticking penalty that drew blood from Rudolfs Balcers at the 16:58 mark. Simek and Nick DeSimone received assists.

San Jose had two power play opportunities in the third period to tie the game, but weren’t able to convert.

Ontario wrapped up the game with a pair of goals scored with under two minutes left in the game. An even-strength goal by TJ Hensick for his sixth goal of the season at the 18:09 mark. Andrew Crencenzi added an empty netter with his 10th goal of the season with 1:02 left in the game to complete the scoring for the Reign and end any comeback attempt by San Jose.

Petersen made 19 saves on 21 shots to earn the victory. He is now 3-0 against San Jose. Grosenick had another busy night, making 31 saves on 35 shots in the losing effort.

GAME NOTES: San Jose was 1/8 on the power play, while Ontario–who has the sixth best-ranked power play in the AHL–went 0/4.

This was the first game of the season the Cuda didn’t have John McCarthy or Paul Martin on the penalty kill. Balcers was able to return to the game after being cut by the high stick from Falkovski. Simek was hit in the face by the puck after a shot caught him up high late in the 3rd period. Hensick’s goal was his fifth goal in 13 games against San Jose.

UP NEXT: The Barracuda conclude their four-game road trip traveling up Highway 99 to take on the Bakersfield Condors on Friday evening (February 23) at Rabobank Arena. Face off is scheduled at 7 pm PT.

San Jose Barracuda Podcast with Marko Ukalovic: Getting swept twice in two game series in a month is cramping the Barracuda’s style

Photo credit: @sjbarracuda

On the Barracuda Podcast with Marko:

1 The San Jose Barracuda were swept twice this month by the San Diego Gulls in San Jose on February 10th and 11th and in Stockton by the Heat February 16th and 17th

2 It was Law Enforcement night at Stockton Arena on Saturday and the Heat was on as theyt capitalized on the Cuda’s mistakes with too many men on the ice being one of the penalties

3 Then, there was the Cuda’s Brandon Mashinter and the Heat’s Tyler Wotherspoon who got into a scrap for a four-minute double-minor

4 The Heat got goals from Colin Smith for his 19th of the season and Heat rookie Spencer Foo got the second goal for his 13th

5 The SJ Barracuda continue this roundtrip in Ontario tonight a 7:00 pm PT face off

San Jose Barracuda Podcast with Marko can be heard each Wednesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

Barracuda’s hopes for weekend split gets erased as they lose 2-1 to Heat

Photo credit: @sjbarracuda

By: Ana Kieu

The San Jose Barracuda and Stockton Heat met again for Game 2 of the weekend series at the Stockton Arena on Saturday night. The Barracuda were looking to split its series against the Heat. Meanwhile, the Heat hosted a special Law Enforcement Appreciation Night to honor the local law enforcement.

The Barracuda got a little too feisty early in the first period. As a result, they were handed a penalty for too many men on the ice and their penalty kill went into effect.

After the first San Jose power play of the night, Barracuda’s Brandon Mashinter dropped the gloves with Heat’s Tyler Wotherspoon. Consequently, both players sat in the sin bin with a four-minute double-minor.

Barracuda goalie Antoine Bibeau made 14 saves in the first period, but the game remained scoreless after 20 minutes of play.

The Heat broke open the scoreless deadlock when left wing Andrew Mangiapane finished a pass from newcomer Colin Smith for his 19th goal of the season and a 1-0 lead midway through the second period. After the game’s first goal, Stockton headed to the power play after San Jose’s Cavan Fitzgerald was called for hooking.

Heat rookie forward Spencer Foo tapped the power play goal in for his 13th of the season. The Heat took a 2-0 lead late in the second.

The Barracuda got to work after receiving a power play and then they were back on the penalty kill when Mike Brodzinski went to the box for slashing. Yet, the Heat carried a 2-0 lead to their locker room after 40 minutes of play.

The Barracuda finally got on the board as Rourke Chartier scored an unassisted goal–his second since coming back from injury–to cut the lead in half. Chartier has gotten three points in his last three games.

The Barracuda went on the power play at the 10-minute mark, but they were unable to capitalize with the man advantage.

The Barracuda lost to the Heat 2-1 in the Port City. Bibeau made 36 saves on 38 shots in a losing effort for San Jose.

Notes
Barracuda’s lineup and starters:
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Up Next
The Barracuda return to action on Wednesday, February 21 at 7 pm PT in southern California against the Ontario Reign.

Heat comeback from three-goal deficit to upend Barracuda 5-4 in OT

Photo credit: @sjbarracuda

By Marko Ukalovic

The San Jose Barracuda (22-19-3-3) blew a three-goal lead as the Stockton Heat (23-17-2-3) scored four unanswered goals for a 5-4 dramatic comeback victory on Friday evening at the Stockton Arena.

Hunter Shinkaruk scored the game winning goal with 39 seconds left in the over time for his 13th goal on the season. Oliver Kylington set up Shinkaruk and he was able to go up top-shelf on Cuda goalie Troy Grosenick (6-9-3).

San Jose would jump out to a quick start against their Nor Cal rival when Jacob Middleton led a 2-on-1 with Adam Helewka. Middleton stole the puck away from Brett Findley just inside the Cuda blue line, skated up the right wing and passed it over to Helewka who fired a shot past Heat goalie Mason McDonald (0-1-0) into the back of the net for his seventh goal of the season at 2:20 mark of first period.

Stockton’s Tanner Glass scored would tied the game when he was able to pounced on a rebound and put it past Grosenick for his second goal of the season at the 8:49 mark of the first period. Kylington’s shot from the point was initially saved by Grosenick but he could corral the rebound. Dalton Prout received the secondary assist.

Sam Warning would give San Jose back the lead with his first AHL goal of his career. Filip Sandberg sent in a pass into the Heat zone and Warning collected the puck and snapped a shot past McDonald with a sweeping spin-o-rama motion at the 17:20 mark of the first period.

Grosenick made two important saves in the first period. Brett Pollack had a wide-open chance after a turnover by Radim Simek that Grosenick was able to glove. Glass had a short-handed chance that Grosenick stoned away.

The Cuda had two short-handed chances to extend their lead midway through the second period but were stymied both times by McDonald. Danny O’Regan couldn’t convert on a breakaway. Moments later Rudolfs Balcers and Simek had a 2-on-1 chance only to have McDonald make a brilliant save on Balcers’ shot.

The Cuda were finally able to cash in on their fifth power play opportunity when rookie forward Alex True was able to light the red light on a rebound chance. Julius Bergman fed O’Reagan who one-timed a shot from the right point that McDonald stopped but True crashed the net and pounded home the puck past McDonald for his seventh goal of the season for a 3-1 lead at the 12:55 mark of the 2nd period.

San Jose scored their third unanswered goal when Simek gave the Cuda a 4-1 lead on a short-handed goal, thanks to a 3-on-1 chance with O’Regan and Balcers. O’Regan made a drop pass to an open Simek who buried the puck past McDoanld for his fourth goal of the season at the 15:52 mark. It was O’Regan’s second assist on the night.

San Jose were impressive in killing off a Heat 5-on-3 power play opportunity with five minutes remaining in the second period, thanks to the great goaltending by Groesnick. He stopped all 15 shots, including a couple of point-blank chances, he faced in the middle frame.

The Heat would dominate the third period. Austin Carrol would cut the Cuda lead in half after some dazzling stick handling by Rasmus Andersson at the 3:02 mark. Andersson was able skate down the left wing side, made a toe drag move around a defender before centering a pass to Carrol who was able shoot the puck over the left pad of Grosenick for his fourth goal of the season.

Andersson would draw the Heat to within one goal when he was able to bang home the puck into a wide open net thanks to a great feed from Andrew Mangiapane who was left all alone by the Cuda defense. Andersson’s fifth goal of the season came at the 7:50 mark.

The Heat would complete the come back with their third unanswered goal in the period when Andersson tied the game up with his second goal of the night (and sixth of the season) when he jumped on the rebound from a shot by Hunter Shinkaruk with 2:51 left in the third period. San Jose was outshot 18-3 in the third frame.

Mason, who made just his second start of his AHL career, earned his first career AHL victory on 25 saves on 29 shots. Grosenick, who made his second consecutive start, suffered the loss, despite making 41 saves on 46 shots.

GAME NOTES: San Jose was 1/6 on the power play (5/29 overall against Stockton this season) while Stockton went 0/6.

The Barracuda are now 2-1 at the Stockton Arena this season. This was the eighth game between the two clubs. They play each other four more times. Simek’s short-handed goal was the second short-handed goal on the road against Stockton. It was their fourth short-handed goal of the season overall. San Jose is now 12-1-2 when they have a lead after the second period. Alex True had a spirited first ever fight against Brett Pollock 42 seconds into the third period.

UP NEXT: The Barracuda conclude their two-game series against the Heat tomorrow at Stockton Arena. Face off is scheduled for 6 pm PT.