photo from sjbarracuda.com
By Marko Ukalovic
SAN JOSE, Calif. — The San Jose Barracuda have a flair for the dramatic. Down by two goals late in the second period, they went on to score three unanswered goals to storm back in a 4-3 comeback victory over the Bakersfield Condors on Sunday afternoon at SAP Center.
The second consecutive victory for San Jose (2-1-0-0) over the defending Pacific Division champions was also a sweep of the weekend games at home after dropping the season opener nine days ago in Ontario.
After a scoreless first period where neither team generated many scoring chances, Bakersfield (1-1-1-0) drew first blood early in the middle frame. Cooper Marody won a battle along the right boards. He then fed Sam Gagner near the slot and Gagner found a wide open Kailer Yamamoto back door on the left side, who skated in and blasted a one-timer past Cuda goalie Andrew Shortridge for his third goal of the season at the 2:00 mark.
The Cuda scored the equalizer when Joel Kellman led a three-on-two odd man rush from center ice. He fed Jonny Brodzinki along the right side. Brodzinki returned the favor back to Kellman, who beat Condor defenseman Evan Bouchard up the ice, and the rookie forward sneaked in a point-blank shot to the left side of Condor goalie Shane Starrett for his first career AHL goal at the 4:24 mark. Noah Gregor received the secondary assist.
“We won the puck low in their end,” said the Swedish forward Kellman. “I just chipped it out to Brodzi (Brodzinski), tried to drive to the net and it was a great pass (from Brodzinski).”
The Condors regained the lead when a shot from Keegan Lowe took a tricky hop from behind the net and ended up out in front of the crease where a scrum of players ensued. After a couple of attempts from Bakersfield, Joe Gambardella poked home the loose puck for his first goal of the season at the 9:10 mark.
Bakersfield gained a two-goal lead two and half minutes later when after a failed clearing attempt by San Jose led to Tyler Bensen feeding out a puck from behind the net over to the left slot where Ryan McLeod skated in and wired a wrist shot over the shoulder of Shortridge for his first goal of the season at the 11:37 mark.
Alex True made it a one-goal game later in the second period when he camped out in front of the crease and tipped the puck through the five-hole of Starrett thanks to a wrist shot from Jayden Halbgewachs just beyond the face off circles. True’s second goal of the season came at the 16:53 mark.
San Jose took the momentum from True’s goal and carried it into the third period where they would do all the scoring. A turnover up high in the Cuda zone led to a three-on-one odd man rush for San Jose. Gregor skated in and beat Starrett top-shelf with a quick wrist shot for his first career AHL goal to tie the game at 3-3 at the 6:51 mark.
“Going back to junior and having a strong a year really helped with my confidence,” said Gregor. “Coming into this year, I knew I could play at the American League level and play pro. I think I carried that into this season.”
With just under three and half minutes remaining in the game, a weak passing attempt into the middle of the ice by Condors defenseman Caleb Jones, hit off the skate of Kellman and went right to the stick of Ivan Chekovich, who brought the puck back before firing a wrist shot over the head of Starrett into the back of the net for the game-winning goal at the 16:40 mark. Chekovich’s first goal of the season earned him the first star of the match.
Shortridge earned his first win of his AHL career making 26 saves on 29 shots. Starrett made 16 saves on 20 shots in the losing effort.
GAME NOTES: San Jose was 0/2 on the power play. Bakerfield was 0/4.
UP NEXT: San Jose closes out their three-game homestand on Saturday 10/19 when they take on the Ontario Reign at 1:15 pm at SAP Center.
