Tag: AHL

San Jose Barracuda center Andrew Poturalski (#22) celebrates his second goal against the Bakersfield Condors with teammate Justin Bailey (#90) during the Barracuda’s 4-2 win at Tech CU Arena on Friday JAN 10, 2024. (San Jose Barracuda)

by Marko Ukalovic

SAN JOSE — Andrew Poturalski continued his stellar offensive season for Team Teal.

The San Jose Barracuda captain scored two goals during a three-goal second period as the ‘Cuda defeated the Bakersfield Condors 5-2 on Friday evening at Tech CU Arna.

San Jose has won two games in a row and three of its last four games as they went 2-1 during their three-game homestand. Bakersfield has lost two games in a row and three of its past five.

Bakersfield (13-13-3-1-30 points) drew first blood 36 seconds into the game as they pressured San Jose inside its own zone from the opening faceoff. Ronnie Attard found Phil Kemp along the right boards. The Condors defenseman beat ‘Cuda goalie Georgi Romanov a seeing eyed wrist shot up high over the glove for his fifth goal of the season.

San Jose (20-11-0-2-42 points) answered back with an even strength goal less than three minutes later. Tristen Robins centered a pass from behind Bakerfield’s net out to Justin Bailey who fanned partially on his shot. The puck deflected off of Connor Carrick’s stick out to Robins who buried a wrist shot past Condor’s goalie Collin Delia for his fifth goal of the season at the 3:25 mark. Poturalski picked up the secondary assist on the play.

San Jose’s number one-line struck again as Poturalski gave the Barracuda its first lead of the game with his first goal of the contest early in the second period. Thomas Bordeleau made a cross ice to pass over to Bailey inside the Condor’s zone. Bailey made a touch pass over to Poturalski and the veteran forward tapped home the puck into an empty net for his 14th goal of the season at the 2:17 mark. It was the first time San Jose had a lead against Bakersfield this season.

Then Poturalski took advantage of a fortunate bounce while the Barracuda were on the power play with the team’s third unanswered goal. A backhanded clearing attempt by the Condors pinballed off of three players into the middle of the ice where Poturalski was all alone and beat Delia top shelf with a wrist shot for his second of the game and team leading 15th goal of the season at the 6:07 mark.

Poturalski also scored his team leading seventh power play goal as he was involved in the ‘Cuda’s first three goals.

San Jose scored its third goal of the middle frame with under six minutes remaining. Jake Furlong intercepted a pass from the point inside his own zone. Furlong fluttered a home run pass up the ice that sprung Donovan Houle on a breakaway. Houle skated in and beat Delia with a wrist shot top shelf to the right corner of the net for his eighth goal of the season at the 14:36 mark.

Houle has scored in back-to-back games and have three goals in his last four games.

Bakersfield cut San Jose’s lead in half with a four-on-four goal late in the period. Cam Dineen skated around the ‘Cuda defense before he centered a pass from behind the net over to Noah Philp who beat Romanov with a one-timer for his ninth goal of the season at the 18:09 mark.

The third period featured an abundance of physicality and chippy-ness with extra-curricular activities that occurred after the whistle between both teams. Jacob Perreault was given a five-minute major for spearing with an automatic ejection from the game from the game at the 14:42 mark.

Houle completed the scoring with his second goal of the goal, a power play goal, when he scored an empty netter when the Condors pulled Delia for an extra attacker at the 15:43 mark. Robins and Ethan Cardwell picked up helpers on the play. It was Cardwell’s 19th assist on the season.

Romanov (9-5-1) stopped 23 of the 25 shots he faced to earn his ninth win of the season and has won a season best three games in a row. Delia (3-6-2) made 40 saves on 44 shots in the losing effort.

GAME NOTES: San Jose finished 2-for-3 on the power play. Bakersfield went 0-for-2.

The Three Stars of the Game: 1) Poturalski (2G, A) 2) Houle (2G, 0A) 3) Bailey (0G, 2A).

Poturalski and goalie Yaroslav Askarov were selected to the 2025 AHL All-Star game which will be held on Monday February 3rd at Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert, Calif. It will be Poturalski’s third all-star game and Askarov’s first.

Bailey played in his 400th AHL game of his career.

San Jose is 1-2 against Bakersfield in the season series.

UP NEXT: San Jose and Bakersfield conclude their home-and-home series on Saturday 1/11 at 7:00pm at Mechanics Bank Arena.

The San Jose Barracuda celebrate Thomas Bordeleau’s first period goal during their 4-3 win over the Colorado Eagles at Tech CU Arena on Sunday JAN 5, 2025. (San Jose Barracuda)

by Marko Ukalovic

SAN JOSE — The San Jose Barracuda jumped out to an early lead and then held on for dear life as they defeated the Colorado Eagles 4-3 on Sunday afternoon at Tech CU Arena.

San Jose split the weekend series and has won two of its past three games. Colorado has lost for just the second time in their past seven games with the split.

San Jose (19-11-0-2-40 points) drew first blood in a three-goal first period. ‘Cuda captain Andrew Poturalski led a counterattack up the ice. Tristen Robin skated inside the Eagles zone where he found a trailing Justin Bailey in the middle of ice and Bailey beat Eagles goaltender Kevin Mandolese with a one-timer for his sixth goal of the season at the 8:30 mark.

The Barracuda doubled its lead just over three minutes later with an even strength goal. A shot from the point by Jimmy Schuldt was initially saved by Mandolese but Lucas Vanroboys, who crashed the net, cleaned up the rebound for his eighth goal of the season at the 11:37 mark.

70 seconds later, Thomas Bordeleau made a great individual effort to score the Barracuda’s third unanswered goal of the opening frame. Bordeleau pick pocketed the puck off of Jayson Megna at the Eagles blue line. Bordeleau skated down the left wing and blasted a slap shot to the far corner for an unassisted goal, his seventh of the season at the 12:47 mark.

Colorado (17-10-1-2-37 points) cut into San Jose’s lead early in the second period. A shot from the point by John Ludvig pinballed around in front of the crease. Maros Jedlicka poked home the rebound with a backhander past ‘Cuda goalie Georgi Romanov for his second goal of the season at the 3:15 mark.

The Eagles made it 3-2 with a four-on-four goal. Matthew Phillips skated down the right wing and centered a pass from behind the ‘Cuda net out to Jack Ahcan who buried a one-timer past Romanov for his third goal of the season at the 7:26 mark.

San Jose stole one back off a lucky bounce to regain its two-goal lead. Scott Sabourin sent a puck into the Eagles zone. Donovan Houle tried to center a pass out in front from behind the Eagles net. The puck deflected off the skate of Mark Seden and past Mandolese on the far side for Houle’s seventh goal of the season at the 13:21 mark. Jack Thompson was credited with the secondary assist.

“I saw I was actually just kind of trying to pass the puck to Sab (Scott Sabourin). So, I saw him driving to the net, tried to give him a pass, but (when you) gets pucks to the net good things happen. I got lucky there,” Houle said.

Colorado once again made it a one goal game with 22 seconds left in a wild middle frame. The Eagles had pressure inside the ‘Cuda zone when Ahcan fed a cross-ice pass over to Jacob MacDonald who slammed home a one-timer past Romanov for his ninth goal of the season.

San Jose were more focused and more disciplined on this afternoon staying out of the sin bin and limited Colorado’s opportunities both with the man advantage and even strength.

“I thought we did a nice job with the referees and staying off of them and letting them do their job. We also checked pretty well. We checked with our legs, we didn’t get ourselves, our sticks in a lot of feet. I think those two things put together equals, well we had a short penalty kill,” ‘Cuda head coach John McCarthy said.

The Eagles pulled Mandolese with just under three minutes remaining in the game for an extra attacker. However, Romanov and the ‘Cuda defense held down the fort and kept Colorado from scoring the equalizer as they escaped with two points on the afternoon.

Romanov (8-5-1) stopped 33 of the 36 shots he faced to earn his eighth win of the season. Mandolese (9-7-2) made 31 saves on 35 shots in the losing effort.

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

The Three Stars of the Game: 1) Houle 2) MacDonald 3) Bordeleau.

UP NEXT: San Jose hosts the Bakersfield Condors on Friday 1/10 at 7:30pm at Tech CU Arena.

San Jose Barracuda forward Scott Sabourin (#49) attempts a shot on goal while being checked by Colorado Eagles defenseman John Ludvig (#10) at Tech CU Arena on Saturday JAN 4, 2024. (San Jose Barracuda)

by Marko Ukalovic

SAN JOSE — The Colorado Eagles scored four unanswered goals en route to a 4-2 comeback victory over the San Jose Barracuda on Saturday evening at Tech CU Arena.

San Jose has lost two of its past three games. Colorado has won five of its past six games.

San Jose (18-11-0-2-38 points) drew first blood late in the first period with an even strength goal. A shot from the right point by Joey Keane pinballed around the crease. Anthony Vincent’s chance was saved by Eagles goaltender Adam Scheel, but Lucas Vanroboys slammed home the rebound for his seventh goal of the season at the 17:26 mark.

Colorado (17-9-1-2-37 points) was dominated in the opening frame by San Jose as they were outshot 17-6. Jean-Luc Foudy took two minor penalties at the 9:32 mark and 19:57 mark.

Scheel kept the Eagles in the game during the first 10 minutes of the second period. He stopped two ‘Cuda short–handed breakaway attempts, one by Justin Bailey and the other by Ethan Cardwell. San Jose killed off both penalties.

The Barracuda doubled its lead with a power play goal late in the middle frame. Tristen Robbins found ‘Cuda captain Andrew Poturalski down below the left faceoff circle. Poturalski made a move in before wiring a wrist shot that beat Scheel to the short side for his team leading 13th goal of the season at the 14:21 mark.

The Eagles cut the lead in half just under three minutes later. Foudy slid a pass over to Jake Wise between the faceoff circles. Wise’s shot deflected off of Donovan Houle and past ‘Cuda goalie Aaron Dell to the short side for his eight goal of the season at the 17:18 mark.

“We controlled the game in the beginning, then I thought our puck decisions slipped in the second period and started to turn against us. (We) took too many penalties. We were (penalty) killing the whole third period. We can’t win that way,” Barracuda head coach John McCarthy said.

Colorado scored the equalizer with a short-handed goal early in the third period. Wyatt Aamodt cleared the puck out of their own zone up the ice to TJ Tynan who just stepped out of the penalty box. Tynan skated around Anthony Vincent, who also just stepped out of the penalty box, and beat Dell with a shot to the short side for his fourth goal of the season at the 4:57 mark.

The Eagles gained its first lead of the game with a power play goal, and its third unanswered. A shot from the point by Jack Ahcan deflected off of Tynan over to Jacob MacDonald who beat Dell with a backhander to the short side for his eighth goal of the season at the 8:35 mark.

San Jose spent the majority of the final frame killing penalties, but was also the victim of some calls and non-calls by the officiating late in the game that went Colorado’s way that helped prevent a comeback by the Barracuda in the final minutes of the contest.

Wise completed the scoring with an empty net goal as time expired for his second goal of the game and ninth of the season.

Scheel (3-0) finished with stopping 38 of the 40 shots he faced to earn his third win of the season. Dell (1-1-1) made 34 saves on 37 shots in the losing effort.

GAME NOTES: San Jose finished 1-for-5 on the power play. Colorado went 1-for-7.

The Three Stars of the Game: 1) Tynan 2) MacDonald 3) Poturalski.

UP NEXT: San Jose and Colorado complete their two-game weekend series on Sunday 1/5 at 3:00pm at Tech CU Arena.