Barracuda fall 6-5 to Rampage in seesaw affair on Pink in the Rink day

Despite firing a franchise high 46 shots on goal, the San Jose Barracuda were defeated 6-5 by the San Antonio Rampage (AHL affiliate of the Colorado Avalanche) in a seesaw battle Saturday afternoon at the SAP Center on the Barracuda’s second annual Pink in the Rink event.

The Barracuda, who fell to 2-2-0-1 overall with the loss, got goals from forwards Barclay Goodrow, Nikita Jevpalovs, Ryan Carpenter (who also had an assist), Nikolay Goldobin and Daniel O’Regan. In addition, forwards Kevin Labanc, Timo Meier and defenseman Julius Bergman dished out two assists each while goaltender Troy Grosenick made 26 saves.

Goodrow put the Barracuda ahead 1-0 just 56-seconds into the game when he got position on top of the crease and buried home the rebound of Bergman’s shot from the right point for his second goal of the season and first goal since the Barracuda’s season opener against the Stockton Heat on Oct. 15.

The Rampage went ahead 2-1 with two goals in a near five minute span near the midway point of the period. Rampage forward Joe Whitney tied the game at 7:01 with his first goal of the season off a quick shot from the hashmarks in the slot that beat Grosenick top shelf just one second after the cross-checking penalty to Barracuda defenseman Mirco Mueller expired. At 12:44, Rampage forward Rocco Grimaldi had linemate J.T. Compher’s backhanded shot from inside the left circle deflect in off him from the right side of the crease for his third goal of the season.

Jevpalovs tied the game 27-seconds later with his first goal of the season off a give-and-go with Carpenter in the Rampage zone that saw Jevpalovs display great hands and deking through the slot before firing the puck past Rampage goaltender Spencer Martin.

As was the case in the first period, the teams combined to score four goals in the second period. The Rampage took a 3-2 lead 62-seconds into the middle frame when forward A.J. Greer deflected in defenseman Ryan Stanton’s center point slap shot off an offensive zone faceoff win for a power play goal, his third goal of the season.

The Barracuda answered back with two goals in a near three minute span to take a 4-3 lead. Goldobin tied the game at 4:26 with his second goal of the season off a rebound score that saw Goldobin crash the crease and bury home a centering feed from linemate Rourke Chartier. Labanc had the secondary assist on the goal to give the line a combined 20 points in their last four games.

At 7:08, Carpenter put the Barracuda ahead 4-3 with his first goal of the season off a wrist shot from on top of the left circle that got through traffic in front and beat a screened Martin. Labanc had the lone assist on the goal.

Compher tied the game for the Rampage at 16:35 with a power play goal, his fifth goal of the season, off a snap shot from in the slot after the four Barracuda skaters lost track of him on the ice.

Inside the opening three minutes of the third period, the Rampage scored two times in 22-seconds to take a 6-4 lead. Whitney scored his second goal of the game at 2:26 with a seemingly harmless wrist shot from the left half board that surprised Grosenick, who didn’t react to the puck until the puck had rang in off the crossbar. At 2:48, Rampage forward Gabriel Borque beat Grosenick with a snap shot from on top of the circles for his first goal of the season, which held up as the game winner.

O’Regan pulled the Barracuda to within a goal at 7:31 with a power play goal, his third goal of the season, off a one-timer from point blank ranger that was set-up with a behind the net centering feed from Meier. Though the Barracuda out-shot the Rampage 10-8 for the period and had Grosenick pulled for the extra attacker for nearly two minutes (1:41 to be exact), the Barracuda couldn’t get the puck past Martin for the tying goal.

NOTES… Shots on goal were 46-32 in favor of the Barracuda… The Barracuda went 1-for-3 on the power play and 2-for-4 on the penalty kill… Grosenick fell to 1-2-0 with a 3.10 goals-against-average and .900 save percentage… Labanc had a game high nine shots on goal… The Barracuda are now 1-1-0-1 at SAP Center this season.. Barracuda forward Adam Helewka was reassigned to the Allen Americans of the ECHL on Nov. 3… This was the first of six meetings between the Barracuda and Rampage this season… The Barracuda will rematch the Rampage Sunday afternoon at SAP Center with puck drop scheduled for 3pm/pt.

THREE STARS
1. Joe Whitney – Rampage (2-0-2)
2. A.J. Greer – Rampage (1-1-2)
3. Ryan Carpenter – Barracuda (1-1-2)

LINES
Goodrow / Carpenter (A) / Jevpalovs
Sorensen / Meier / O’Regan
Goldobin / Chartier / Labanc
McCarthy (C) / Blackwell / Schoenborn
DEFENSE
Mueller / Bergman
Ryan / Heed
Middleton / McNally

GOALIES
Grosenick
Armalis

SCRATCHES
Fram
Martin
Ruopp
Gallant (inj)
Kelley (susp)