Category: San Jose Barracuda

Barracuda snap losing streak with a 4-2 win over Roadrunners

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Photo credit: @sjbarracuda

By Marko Ukalovic

SAN JOSE — The San Jose Barracuda (22-19-2-3) were happy to have Rudolfs Balcers and his scoring touch back in the lineup as his two goals led the way for a 4-2 victory over the Pacific Division leading Tuscon Roadrunners (27-15-2-1) on Wednesday night at the SAP Center. The win snapped the Cuda’s four-game losing streak.

Balcers’ second goal of the night proved to be the game winning goal for San Jose on the power play. Rourke Chartier kept the puck inside the blue line, passed it over to Tim Heed who fed Balcers who skated between the middle of the circles and fired a shot top self past Hunter Miska (15-5-0) for a 3-2 lead at the 8:26 mark of the third period. It was his team leading 14th goal on the season.

“It’s been a while (since I scored a goal),” said Baclers about his recent goalless streak. “I actually talked to my parents yesterday. We talked that I haven’t scored in a while. So it felt good.”

The Roadrunners would draw first blood when Mike Sislo skated in all alone on the right wing after taking a cross-ice feed from Lawson Crouse and fired a shot past Cuda goalie Troy Grosenick (6-8-3) into the back of the net for his 15th goal on the season at the 12:23 mark of the first period.

The Barracuda would even it up late in the first period when a turnover at the blue line gave the puck to Adam Helewka and he found a wide-open Emerson Clark who skated right down the middle all alone and buried a shot past Tuscon goalie Hunter Miska (15-5-0) for his sixth goal of the season at the 17:37 mark.

Despite the Roadrunners’ defense clogging up the middle of the ice and holding the Cuda to only three shots in the period, both teams headed into the first intermission tied at one apiece.

Tuscon regained the lead late in the second period with a power play goal from Lane Pederson. With Helewka in the sin bin for hooking, Laurent Dauphin found Pederson at the right point and he blasted a shot past Grosenick for his eighth goal of the season at the 16:14 mark.

Balcers tied it back up over a minute later with his first goal of the night when he received a pass from Tim Heed at the right slot and skated in on Miska and fired a shot that Miska wasn’t able to handle at the 17:21 mark.

In the third period, the Cuda took three undisciplined penalties (two too many men on the ice and one unsportmanlike conduct) that gave Tuscon a chance to come back but San Jose’s penalty kill along with Grosenick were perfect and didn’t allow another goal.

“Special teams were pretty good,” said head coach Roy Sommer. “It would’ve been a little disheartening if they had scored on those, but they didn’t.”

Chartier, back in the lineup after missing the last 30 games, gave the Cuda a huge insurance goal when Nick DeSimone connected with Chartier on a pass from center ice and he skated in from the left slot before firing a shot past Miska into the top right corner of the goal for his third goal of the season.

“He’s been through a lot these past couple of years,” said Grosenick about Chartier’s return to the lineup. “To see him comeback and get rewarded like that, with all his hard work, it’s a good thing to see.”

Grosenick made 37 saves on 39 shots, including a great sprawling save on Crouse in the second period while Tuscon was on the power play. Miska stopped 22 pucks on 26 shots for just his fifth loss on the season.

“It was big, it was big for him and just his psyche”, said Sommer about Grosenick finally getting a win. “He was kinda wondering when the next win was gonna come. He battled in there and made some big saves for us down the end for us.”

GAME NOTES: San Jose was 1/4 on the power play and snapped an 0/13 skid, while Tuscon went 1/6.

Along with Chartier, forward Danny O’Reagan was also back in the line up for the Cuda who has been up and down with the Sharks and Cuda this season.

Caleb Herbert made his debut for San Jose after recently signing with the team.

San Jose went 1-2-1-1 on their five-game home stand.

The announced attendance was 2,924.

UP NEXT: The Barracuda head out on the road to begin a four-game road trip beginning with a two-game weekend series in Stockton as they take on their Nor Cal rival the Heat on Friday 2/16. Face off is scheduled for 7 pm PT.

San Jose Sharks Podcast with Mary Lisa Walsh: After lack of offensive loss to Coyotes Sharks looking to take on Vancouver Thursday

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sports.yahoo.com file photo: The San Jose Sharks Tomas Hertl seen here stretching before a game injured his right shoulder and arm against the Tucson Roadrunners on Tuesday and is day to day

On the SJ Sharks Podcast with Mary Lisa:

1 SJ Sharks after winning two straight had a rough time against the Arizona Coyotes on Tuesday night with a 2-1 loss

2 The Sharks offense couldn’t get anything going against the Coyotes and had trouble on the power play

3 The Coyotes back up goalie (who actually starts but not on Tuesday) Antti Raanta stopped 12 shots in relief in the third period for Scott Wedgewood who started. Wedgewood had to leave after getting hit by the Sharks Tim Meier from behind 28 seconds into the third period. Wedgewood hit his head on the crossbar and had to leave for concussion observation.

4 The Sharks Tomas Hertl was chasing down a puck with Arizona Coyotes Nick Cousins on a short handed play, Hertl fell and injured his right shoulder and right arm. His status is day to day.

5 The Sharks host Vancouver Thursday night at SAP Mary Lisa takes a looks at the match up

Mary Lisa does the Sharks podcasts each Wednesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

San Jose Barracuda Podcast with Marko Ukalovic: Barracuda coming off two straight losses; looking for win against Tucson tonight

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Photo credit: instagram.com/sjbarracuda

On the Barracuda Podcast with Marko:

1 On Sunday the San Diego Gulls (26-17-1-0) swept the San Jose Barracuda (21-19-2-3) at SAP Center. The Gulls came back down 1-0 with three unanswered goals to beat the Barracuda for the second time 4-3.

2 The Barracuda opened the game with a goal from defenseman Jacob Middleton who scored his second goal of the season at 24 seconds

3 Middleton’s goal would the only goal of the afternoon for San Jose as San Diego would put four goals past Barracuda goalie Antoine Bibeau (14-9-2) who kept busy stopping 24 out of 28 shots

4 The power play is hurting the Barracuda going 0-6 Sunday and 0-10 during the two game against the Gulls

5 The Barracuda will face off against Tucson tonight after dropping two the Barraducda will need this one against the Tucson Roadrunners

Marko Ukalovic covers Barracuda hockey for http://www.sportsradioservice.com

A dream come true for Team USA Olympian John McCarthy

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Photo credit: @SJP_Hockey

By Marko Ukalovic

The 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics is the first since 1994 that the NHL did not send their players to participate in at the Winter Olympics. For Team USA it is a group made up of college and minor league players that will compete in South Korea with the hopes of winning a gold medal for the first time since the Miracle on Ice team accomplished that feat back in 1980 in Lake Placid, New York.One of the members of Team USA is John McCarthy, captain of the San Jose Barracuda. McCarthy was picked among 24 other players to represent the red, white and blue by head coach, and former San Jose Shark, Tony Granato. For McCarthy this is a chance of a lifetime for him.

   “I’m really excited about it”, said the Boston, Mass native before he heading out to South Korea last Wednesday. “It’s going to be a fun experience.”
McCarthy described what the emotion was like when he received the call that he was going to be one of the 25 to represent Team USA at the Olympics.
“Yeah it was awesome, it’s really exciting. You know you dream that as a kid, so to get that phone call was awesome. Being able to tell my family, they were over the top excited for me too. So it was a very cool moment.”McCarthy didn’t get too specific on what activities he will do away from the hockey rink during his time in Pyeongchang.

“It’s going to be an awesome experience,” said McCarthy. “It’s going to be important to see everything and just take everything in.”

When asked if he expected to be on the team, McCarthy responded by saying, “No I was surprised for sure. They (the coaches) kinda let me they were looking at me and watching my games and everything. I didn’t want to get my hopes up, didn’t want to get ahead of myself. I just took the attitude of just playing my game. If it works out, it works out and it worked out. It was a really good feeling.”

While he didn’t know what his exact role would be on the team he has had conversations with the coaches of what they expect out of him. “I think it will become a little bit clearer when we get started. I’m just really excited to be on the team.”

Team USA begins group play today at 4:10 am PST as they take on Slovenia in their first matchup in Group B. Good luck to John and the rest of Team USA as they try to bring home gold for the first time in 38 years.

Gulls dominate Barracuda in 4-1 win; sweep two-game series

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Photo credit: @sjbarracuda

By Marko Ukalovic

SAN JOSE — The San Diego Gulls (26-17-1-0) came from behind once again, scoring four unanswered goals in a convincing 4-1 win over the San Jose Barracuda (21-19-2-3) Sunday afternoon at the SAP Center. They swept the two-game series against San Jose and won their season best sixth win in a row.

It didn’t take the Barracuda long to get the bad taste of yesterday’s loss out of their mouth when defenseman Jacob Middleton scored his second goal on the season just 24 seconds into the game. Forward Adam Helewka’s shot hit off the pads of Gulls goalie Reto Berra (11-6-0) and Middleton crashed the net and was able to slam home the rebound past Berra.

“I’m used to being in front of the net in my own defensive zone,” said Middleton about scoring his goal. “It was an opportunity. I kinda just shoveled it toward the net and fortunately it went in.”

Antoine Bibeau (14-9-2) was busy earlier on having stopped two breakaway attempts by San Diego in the first three and a half minutes into the game, including one by Devin Sideroff.

San Jose had a golden opportunity to extend their lead when they had a 5-on-3 power play for 1:48 midway through the period when Sam Carrick and Mike Limabas went into the sin bin 12 seconds apart from each other. However, the Gulls penalty kill would keep the game at a one goal deficit.

The Gulls would answer back when Nic Kerdiles was able to tip in Andy Welinski’s shot from the point past Bibeau. The Gulls had sustained pressure inside the Cuda zone as Kerdiles was able to set up shop in front of Bibeau to deflect the puck in the back of the net for his ninth goal on the season at the 16:15 mark of the first period.

Kalle Kossila, who had his two-game goal streak snapped yesterday, gave the Gulls a 2-1 lead with 8.5 seconds left in the first period when he received the puck at center ice and was able to use his speed to skate around three Cuda defenders before putting a pretty backhander past Bibeau for his 13th goal of the season.

“The guy kinda goes through everybody and tucks it in,” said head coach Roy Sommer. “I think that was the biggest thing, the real back breaker.”

Dennis Rasmussen extended the Gulls lead to 3-1 on a nice give and go with Steven Olesky. Rasmussen skated into the Cuda zone, passed it over to Olesky on the right wing and Olesky gave it right back to Rasmussen who was able to fire a shot past Bibeau top self in the left corner of the goal for his fourth goal of the season and second consecutive game with a goal against San Jose at the 6:41 mark of the second period.

San Diego would keep pouring it on when a keep in at the blue line set up a tic-tack-toe goal by Eric Fehr. Fehr gathered the puck, passed it over to Kevin Roy who quickly sent it back to a wide open Fehr who slapped it into an open net for his team leading 15th goal on the season for a 4-1 lead at the 17:33 mark of the second period.

The Cuda were only playing with nine forwards throughout the game due to injuries and call up. Fatigue could have caught up to San Jose in trying maintain an offensive attack.

“As far as trying to keep any heat on, you know get a sustained pressure on the forecheck,” said Sommer about playing with a limited lineup. “I think that gets you a little bit.”

Berra stopped 33 of the 34 Cuda shots for the victory. Bibeau made 24 saves on 28 Gulls shots in the losing effort.

GAME NOTES: The power play blues continued for San Jose as they went 0/6 on the power play and 0/10 in the two game series. San Diego was 0/4.

“You gotta get pucks through and I didn’t think we were very good on our flanks. Never really got a lot of second chances on the PP,” said Sommer.

Emerson Clark thought he had a power play goal at 7:01, but the referee waved it off and video review confirmed no goal. Bibeau made a big save on Kerdiles six minutes into the second period. Fehr has seven points in five games against San Jose this season.

Forward Marcus Sorensen missed the game due to an upper body injury he sustained yesterday. He is currently listed as day-to-day.

The announced attendance was 3,863.

San Diego is currently in second place in the Pacific Division with 53 points. The Cuda sit in seventh place with 47 points just one ahead of last place Bakersfield.

UP NEXT: San Jose host the Pacific Division leading Tuscon Roadrunners on Valentine’s Day 2/14 to conclude the five-game home stand. Face off is scheduled for 7 pm PT.

Gulls respond with three unanswered goals in 3-2 overtime win over Barracuda

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Photo credit: @sjbarracuda

By Marko Ukalovic

SAN JOSE — Dennis Rasmussen scored the game-winning goal with over two minutes left in overtime as the San Diego Gulls (25-17-1-0) completed a 3-2 comeback victory over the San Jose Barracuda (21-18-2-3) Saturday afternoon at the SAP Center.

After successfully killing off a Barracuda power play that transferred over from the third period, Rasmussen was able to skate down the left wing on a 2-on-1 opportunity and was able to beat Cuda goalie Troy Grosenick (5-8-3) with a wrist shot just inside the left post at the 2:41 mark of overtime. It was Rasmussen’s third goal on the season.

There wasn’t much offense generated in a penalty-filled first period that saw neither team convert on their power play chances. The Barracuda had a four-minute advantage when Corey Tropp went into the sin bin for a double-minor high-sticking penalty.

However, an interference penalty by Tim Heed negated Tropp’s penalty. Both combined for only nine shots on goal.

The Barracuda would strike first after a clean faceoff win by Alex True, defenseman Paul Martin sent a shot in from the point that deflected off the skate of Gulls defenseman Steven Olesky right on to the body of Emerson Clark and into the back of net past Gulls goalie Kevin Boyle (14-8-1) for his fifth goal of the season at the 11:15 mark of the second period.

Brandon Bollig gave the Cuda a 2-0 lead when he tapped home a rebound of a Jon Martin shot for his eighth goal on the season. The goal came on a 2-on-1 opportunity created by Martin at the Gulls blueline at the 16:52 mark of the second period. Michael Brodzinski received the secondary assist.

“It’s been a long time coming,” said Bollig, after ending his long scoring draught. “Droughts like that are gonna happen. Unfortunately, it lasted a little longer than I would’ve liked. We could use that extra scoring and that’s what I’m looking to keep going.”

San Diego wouldn’t go quietly into that good afternoon as Kevin Roy would cut the lead early in the third period when the Cuda turned over the puck in the neutral zone. Sam Carrick was able to feed Roy open along the left boards and he was able to skate in and rifle a shot past Grosenick for his ninth goal of the season at the 3:08 mark.

The Gulls would tied the score just 87 seconds later as Carrick skated into the Cuda zone and his shot deflected off a skate right into the hands of Eric Fehr, who buried it past Grosenick for his 14th goal on the season at the 4:35 mark.

“A two minute burst, they score a couple of goals,” said Cuda head coach Roy Sommer. “We kinda were back on our heels a bit.”

Things would get nasty when Mike Liambas landed a vicious elbow to the upper body of an unsuspecting Marcus Sorensen five and half minutes into the third period. Sorensen would leave the ice under his own power. The hit lit a spark under the Cuda as the hitting picked up by both teams in the final 10 minutes of the third period.

The Cuda had scoring chances late in the third period and early in the overtime, but were the victims of bad luck as they hit two posts with a puck rolling just past the goal into the corner.

“We had some point blankers,” said Sommer. “We hit a cross bar, hit two posts. Hey I liked the way we played. I wish we had a better outcome. We play like that, we’re going to win a lot more (games) than we lose.”

Boyle had a busy afternoon making 37 saves on 39 shots for the victory. Grosenick, arguably the most hard luck goaltender in the AHL, made 21 saves on 24 shots in the losing effort.

GAME NOTES: Both teams were 0/4 on the power play.

San Diego came into the game with the best power play in the AHL at over 24%, with a 38% success rate against San Jose.

The announced attendance was 3,162.

UP NEXT: San Jose looks for revenge Sunday afternoon against the San Diego Gull at SAP Center. Face off is scheduled for noon PT.

San Jose Barracuda Podcast with Marko Ukalovic: Bibeau faces lots of shots in Roadrunners loss but developing in goal nicely

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photo by sjbarracuda.com

By Marko Ukalovic

SAN JOSE–It was one of those games where Tucson Roadrunners and the San Jose Barracuda in their last game on Feb 5th played great hockey in a game that ended up in a shootout win for the Roadrunners 4-3.  The Roadrunners scored three goals in a five and half minute span in the second period and your thinking “oh well” it’s going to be one of those games.

The last goal the Roadrunners scored in that second period was a battled up goal it just squeaked by Barracuda goalie Antoine Bibeau and went into the goal. You have to think at that point momentum is down but all of a sudden they get the late goal. At then end of the third period the Barracuda made their own come back down 3-2 and then they get a goal from John Martin to tie it to send it into overtime.

Catch Marko with coverage of the San Diego Gulls and San Jose Barracuda this Saturday and Sunday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

Roadrunners overcome Barracuda’s comeback, win 4-3 in a shootout

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Photo credit: @sjbarracuda

By Marko Ukalovic

SAN JOSE — In a wild game that saw the Tuscon Roadrunners (25-14-2-1) cough up a three-goal lead, only to save face in the shootout with a 4-3 victory over the San Jose Barracuda (21-18-1-3) on Monday evening at SAP Center.

Lane Pederson scored the game winner in a long shootout period to give the Pacific Division leaders the two points in a game that saw each team score three unanswered goals after the first 20 minutes of play.

The first period featured each team getting a power play opportunity, but neither team could score as San Jose’s Antonie Bibeau (14-8-2) and Tuscon’s Adin Hill (10-10-1) were able to keep the puck out of their own respective nets. Scoring chances were few, far and between for both teams. The period featured only 14 total shots, with San Jose outshooting Tuscon 8-6.

The Roadrunners broke through early in the second period when Michael Bunting was on the receiving end of a pretty give and go with Tyler Gaudet. Bunting passed it over Gaudet from the right slot with Gaudet returning the favor right back to an open Bunting who slammed the puck into an empty net for his 13th goal of the season and a 1-0 lead at the 3:14 mark. Dysin Mayo received the secondary assist.

Bunting would get his second goal of the evening just a minute and a half later when he was able to tip in a Kyle Wood shot from the middle of the slot past Bibeau for a 2-0 lead. Bunting’s 14th goal of the season was also assisted by Conor Garland at the 5:55 mark of the second period.

Tuscon would get a lucky break that resulted in a power play goal at the 8:29 mark when Lawson Crouse was able to somehow get his stick on the puck that rolled past Bibeau into the net. After a shot from the point by Dakota Mermis was blocked away by Bibeau, a mad scramble ensued on the rebound with Crouse getting credited for his eighth goal on the season. Mike Sislo received the secondary assist on the goal.

“A power play goal, a tunrover and a quick play they make to the net, you’re down 3-0,” said head coach Roy Sommer. “It happens. But I liked the way we battled back.”

The Barracuda finally got on the board at the 10:55 mark of the second period when Nick DeSimone blasted a shot past Hill from the right point. The power play goal was DeSimone’s fifth goal on the season. Brandon Mashinter received the only assist on the goal.

Captain John McCarthy pulled the Barracuda to within one goal on the power play with just 38 seconds remaining in the period. He was able to tip in a shot past Hill from defenseman Julius Bergman, who launched the puck from the right point. Adam Helewka was also credited with an assist on McCarthy’s seventh goal of the season.

“We responded. It’s good to see the way we came back like we did,” said McCarthy on his team’s resiliency. “It would’ve been nice to get both points, but it was a good response by us.”

Bibeau kept the Cuda in the game midway through the third period when he stopped a point-blank tip attempt by Artur Tyanulin just as the tripping penalty by McCarthy had come to an end.

Jon Martin tied the game up at 3-3 when he was able to bury home the puck past Hill after receiving a great feed from Emerson Clark who had skated in from the left boards to feed a wide-open Martin at the left slot for his fourth goal of the season at the 9:48 mark of the period.

Both teams traded odd man rushes in overtime, but neither team could finish off their chances to win it in the extra session sending the game into the shootout.

“If we had any kind of scorers at all,” Sommer said jokingly. “We haven’t been too lucky in the shoot outs, but hey I’ll take the point.”

Hill made 35 shots on 38 shots to even his record for the victory, while Bibeau made 24 saves on 27 shots in the losing effort.

GAME NOTES: San Jose went 2/4 on the power play while Tuscon was 1/4.

The shootout went seven rounds before Pederson’s goal and San Jose’s Manny Wiederer’s failed attempt ended it. This was captain John McCarthy’s last game with the Barracuda for the next couple of weeks as he will head off to Pyeongchang, South Korea, to join his Team USA hockey teammates for the XXIII Winter Olympics.

UP NEXT: The Barracuda will face off against Pacific Divison rival San Diego Gulls for a weekend series starting on Saturday, February 10 at 1:15 pm PT at SAP Center.

Heat rebound in second game of home-and-home series with 4-2 win over the Barracuda

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Photo credit: @sjbarracuda

By Marko Ukalovic

SAN JOSE — The Stockton Heat (21-16-2-3) enacted revenge against the San Jose Barracuda (21-18-1-2) after suffering a defeat in their own building 24 hours earlier, thanks to a rookie goaltender, earning his first professional victory in a 4-2 victory on Friday evening at the SAP Center. 

Stockton’s Tyler Parsons (1-1-0) making only his second start of the season, played on top of his head on Friday night stymieing a Barracuda attack that put 34 shots on goal. His outstanding play in the net frustrated San Jose throughout the night.

Both teams traded chances in the first period, but neither team could get the puck in the back of the net, thanks to great goaltending by both San Jose’s Troy Groesnick (5-8-2) and Parsons. Parsons stopped four scoring chances early in the period by the Barracuda while Grosenick stoned a one-on-one opportunity by Oleg Yuvenko five minutes into the game. The best scoring chance for the Barracuda came with a minute left when defenseman Jacob Middleton sent a shot off the boards that floated out in front of the crease past Parsons but no one in a teal jersey was able to get their stick in to tap home the puck into an empty net.

“I thought we had opportunities, their goalie was good,” head coach Roy Sommer said about Parsons’ play.

Austin Carrol broke the deadlock just a 1:07 into the second period when he skated in from the right point, made a maneuver around defenseman Paul Martin to skate in all alone on Grosenick and was able to put a nice backhander into the back of the net for a 1-0 lead. It was Carrol’s third goal of the season. Morgan Klimchuk and Rasmus Andersson received assists on the goal.

Julius Bergman tied the game up on the power play when he received a feed from Calvan Fitzgerald and was able to skate in from the right point and rifle a shot past Parsons who was screened out in front by Barracuda forward Alex True. Bergman’s sixth goal on the season came at the 7:31 mark. Adam Helewka received the secondary assist.

“We’re just trying to get pucks to the net,” said defenseman Calvan Fitzgerald on the blue liners contributing more on offense. “We’re just trying to create more offense as much as we can.”

Before the fans could sit down after Bergman’s goal, Stockton regained the lead when a bad turnover by Barracuda forward Emerson Clark led to Stockton’s Rod Pelley finding a wide open Emile Poirier at the blue line and he was able to skate in on a breakaway and sneak the puck past Groesenick for his fourth goal of the season just 66 seconds later.

The Cuda almost tied it up with under 30 seconds left in the period when Helewka skated in on Parson after taking a nice feed from Rudolfs Balcers on a 2-on-1 chance. Helewka’s backhand attempt was stopped by Parsons and the rebound was cleared away by the Stockton defense. San Jose out shot Stockton 13-11 in the 2nd period.

Grosenick kept the Barracuda in the game to start the third period as he was able to stop a Spencer Foo shorthanded breakaway attempt and a few minutes later a 3-on-1 where he was able to rob back to back point blank chances by the Heat.

“It’s not really fair to him, he’s been playing great.” said captain John McCarthy on the hard luck season for Grosenick. “It would’ve been great to get him a win tonight. He kept us in it till the end. It’s unfortunate, but we do recognize that he’s been playing very well (for us).”

Stockton extended their lead at the 15:56 mark when Carrol skated in from the right boards and sent a shot toward the net that was initially saved by Grosenick. but the rebound trickled out to a crashing Morgan Klimchauk who tapped home his 13th goal of the season for a 3-1 lead. Carrol slammed awkwardly into the boards as a result of the play, got hurt, but was able to walk off the ice back into the locker room under his own power.

Marek Hrivik completed the scoring for Stockton with under two minutes left when the Barracuda pulled Grosenick for an extra attacker and he was able to knock home his 11th goal of the season short handed into an empty net.

San Jose’s McCarthy was able to tip home a Fitzgerald shot from the point on the power play with 43 seconds left for his sixth goal of the season. However, it was too little too late for the Barracuda’s comeback attempt.

Parsons made 32 saves on 34 shots for the victory, while Grosenick made 30 saves on 33 shots in the losing effort.

GAME NOTES: San Jose went 2/4 on the power play while Stockton 0/1.

Even there were many scrums after the whistle, there were no official fights between the teams tonight unlike the game in Stockton that featured four of them.

With the win, Stockton leap frogs over San Jose to sixth place in the Pacific Division with 47 points. The Cuda are currently in seventh with 45 points.

UP NEXT: The Barracuda will face the Pacific Division leading Tuscon Roadrunners on Monday evening at SAP Center at 7 pm PT.

Barracuda cool down the Heat with 3-0 shutout victory

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Photo credit: @sjbarracuda

By Marko Ukalovic

The San Jose Barracuda (21-17-1-2) scored two goals in 25 seconds early in the second period and received superior goaltending from Antoine Bibeau to take down the Stockton Heat (20-16-2-3) 3-0 in a shutout victory on Friday evening at Stockton Arena.

The Barracuda are on a two-game winning streak. They went 4-1-1 to complete their six-game road trip.

San Jose would draw first blood with just five minutes remaining in the first period when Rudolfs Balcers scored his team-leading 11th goal on the season. He was able to clean up a rebound amid a mad scramble in front of the net after a shot from the point from defenseman Julius Bergman. The All-Star gathered the puck and put it past Stockton goalie Jon Gillies (13-12-4) inside the right post. Captain John McCarthy also assisted on the goal at the 15:03 mark of the first period. The Barracuda outshot the Heat 9-7.

The Barracuda didn’t waste any time extending their lead in the second period. Just 46 seconds in, Balcers put the Barracuda up 2-0 with his second goal of the night and 12th on the season. McCarthy was able to feed Balcers before the blue line and he raced down the left wing side and sniped a shot past Gillies inside the left post. Adam Helewka also assisted on the goal. This was Balcers’ third multi-goal game on the season.

25 seconds after that Flilip Sandberg back handed in a rebound for his seventh goal of the season to give the Barracuda a commanding 3-0 lead at the 1:11 mark. Bergman sent an innocent-looking shot toward the goal that Gillies couldn’t handle and Sandberg made Gillies pay for his mishap. Gillies was chased out of the game on three goals on just 11 shots. Tyler Parsons replaced him just over a minute into the second period.

Brandon Bollig got the best of Oleg Yevenko with a spirited fight midway through the second period. Bollig took exception to a hit by Yevenko on Barracuda forward Jon Martin. Parsons came up huge on a Brandon Mashinter breakaway chance just under three minutes left in the frame.

Stockton had two chances on the power play in the third period, but couldn’t generate any good scoring chances, thanks to the tight penalty kill of the Cuda and Bibeau. The Heat outshot San Jose 9-3 in the period.

Bibeau (14-8-1) stoppped all 30 shots he faced, including some big saves in the second period where one deflected off of his mask, to earn his third shutout victory of the season. Parsons made nine saves in relief in the losing effort.

GAME NOTES: Adam Helewka returned to the lineup after missing the last game against San Antonio with an injury.

The Heat were without their leading scorer Andrew Mangiapane, who was promoted up to the Calgary Flames. Stockton has lost their past 3 homes games.

Balcers has three goals in the past two games. Balcers’ seven points (three goals, four assists) is tied for the most points (Danny O’Regan) against Stockton this season.

Gillies is now 5-6-1 all time against San Jose.

San Jose went 0/2 on the power play while Stockton was 0/4.

NO LOVE LOST BETWEEN THESE TWO TEAMS: Things got chippy in the first period with a pair of fights between Austin Carrol and Jacob Middleton midway through and also Tanner Glass and Emerson Clark right at the of the period.

UP NEXT: The Barracuda return to SAP Center on Saturday evening as they complete the home-and-home series with the Stockton Heat. Face off is at 7 pm PT.