The San Jose Barracuda hosted the Bakersfield Condors (AHL affiliate of the Edmonton Oilers) at the SAP Center for a two game set this past weekend, and skated away with three out of a possible four points to see their overall record improve to 2-1-0-1.
On Friday night (Oct. 28), Barracuda goaltender Troy Grosenick stopped all 28 Condors shots on goal in leading the Barracuda to a 4-0 win in their home opener. The shutout was Grosenick’s fourth of his AHL career and first AHL shutout since a 25 save shutout performance with the then Worcester Sharks against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins at the DCU Center on Jan. 17, 2015.
The Barracuda scored all four of their goals in a near ten-and-a-half minute span in the second period. Leading the way was the line of Nikolay Goldobin, Rourke Chartier and Kevin Labanc as the trio combined for six points. Labanc registered three points with a shorthanded goal and two assists in being named the game’s first star while Goldobin dished out two assists and Chartier scored a power play goal.
Also scoring for the Barracuda were defenseman Joakim Ryan and captain John McCarthy. In addition, Barracuda forward Timo Meier and defenseman Jason Fram made their professional debuts. Meier finished with four penalty minutes and two shots on goal while Fram had two shots on goal as well and finished as a plus-one.
On Saturday, the Barracuda and Condors were back on the ice for an afternoon matinee game before the San Jose Sharks hosted the Nashville Predators later in the night, and though the trio of Labanc (goal/assist), Chartier (goal/assist) and Goldobin (two assists) again combined for six points (12 points for the weekend), the Barracuda were defeated 4-3 in the shootout.
Barracuda goaltender Mantas Armalis made 36 saves on 39 shots faced and didn’t allow a goal over the final 47:18 (overtime included) after the Condors scored three times in the first period on 17 shots.
Labanc extended his goal streak to three games with a late second period strike at 17:49 while Chartier extended his goal streak to two games with an early third period goal at 1:27 that tied the game at 3-3. Also scoring for the Barracuda was forward Alex Schoenborn, who scored his first professional goal at 9:15 of the first period.
Lineup wise, Barracuda head coach Roy Sommer kept the lineups nearly the same for both games with the only change being on the blueline as Harrison Ruopp was in for Fram in Saturday’s game. Also, Barracuda forwards Matt Willows and Jake Marchment were loaned to the Allen Americans of the ECHL prior to Friday night’s game.
The Barracuda will be back in action next weekend as they host the San Antonio Rampage in a two game afternoon matinee set with puck drop scheduled for 1:15pm on Nov. 2 and 3:00pm on Nov. 3.
LINES
Goodrow (A) / Carpenter (A) / Jevpalovs
Sorensen / O’Regan / Meier
Goldobin / Chartier / Labanc
McCarthy (C) / Blackwell / Schoenborn
DEFENSE
Muller / Bergman
Ryan / Heed
McNally / Fram (Ruopp on Saturday)
GOALIES
Grosenick
Armalis
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