Barracuda Report: San Jose Heads Into Break On High Note

The San Jose Barracuda have hit the holiday break, and similar to the San Jose Sharks, the Barracuda did so on a high note. After dropping a tough overtime decision against the San Diego Gulls, top affiliate of the Anaheim Ducks, San Jose bounced back with a victory over the Stockton Heat, top affiliate of the Calgary Flames.

Last Friday, the Barracuda traveled to San Diego to take on the Gulls, looking to avenge a 5-0 loss from the prior week. Following a scoreless first period, San Jose struck first as Karl Stollery scored his second of the season to give the Barracuda a 1-0 lead.

But the Gulls would strike back, relying on the AHL’s best power play unit as San Diego scored two times with the man advantage to take a 2-1 lead into the second intermission. The Barracuda would send the game into overtime behind starting netminder Troy Grosenick, who made 28 saves on the evening, and Nikolay Goldobin, whose fifth goal of the year meant bonus hockey would ensue.

Unfortunately, it was San Diego who found the back of the net, giving them a 3-2 victory and handing San Jose their third-straight loss.

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Two nights later, the Barracuda returned home to host Stockton as San Jose searched for a victory before the holiday break. Things would get off to a rough start as the Heat would take a 2-0 advantage into the first intermission, outshooting San Jose by an 11-6 margin.

It would get worse before getting better as Morgan Klimchuck’s first professional goal gave Stockton a 3-0 lead as Grosenick was under siege. However, the Barracuda turned the tides in alarming fashion scoring four goals in a 3:22 span.

Micheal Haley’s fifth goal of the season would get it all started as he buried a shorthanded breakaway attempt. Then, Barclay Goodrow would score his ninth goal on the power play to cut the deficit to one, before Goldobin would score for the second straight game to knot things up at three.

Gus Young would cap off the scoring spree for the Barracuda depositing a rebound for his fourth goal of the season and suddenly San Jose held a 4-3 lead after two periods of play.

Petter Emanuelsson would score the eventual game-winner as his third goal of the year would make it five consecutive goals for the Barracuda en route to a 5-4 victory.

It was a big two points for San Jose who currently sits in fifth place in the Pacific Division after 24 games with a 10-9-2-3 record, 25 points and a .521 points percentage. At the holiday break, the Barracuda are being led by Ryan Carpenter with two goals, 18 assists and a plus-15 rating in 22 games and Goodrow who has nine goals, five assists and a plus-six rating.

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San Jose returns to action on Dec. 27 by continuing their four-game home stand with another matchup against the Heat before hosting two games against the Charlotte Checkers, the top affiliate of the Carolina Hurricanes.

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