Kicking off their six-game road trip, the San Jose Barracuda special teams allowed a shorthanded goal and two power play goals en route to a 4-2 loss to the Bakersfield Condors (AHL affiliate of the Edmonton Oilers) at the Rabobank Arena Friday night.
The Barracuda, who fell out of the last playoff spot in the Western Conference with the lost, got two point games from froward Ryan Carpenter and defenseman Joakim Ryan, who dished out two assists. Between the pipes, goaltender Aaron Dell made 20-saves in his franchise best fifth consecutive start.
Though the Barracuda out-shot the Condors 13-5 in the first period, it was the Condors who skated into the first intermission with a 1-0 lead as the result of a shorthanded goal by forward Rob Klinkhammer, who finished off an odd man rush by beating Dell with a snap shot from inside the left face-off circle near the slot at 18:15 for his 14th goal of the season.
In the second period, the Condors extended the lead to 3-0 as the result of back-to-back power play goals in a 48-second span. With Barracuda defensemen Michael Brodzinski and Ryan in the penalty box for hooking (8:25) and a high-sticking double minor (9:22) respectively, Condors defenseman Brad Hunt ripped a center point slap shot passed Dell, who was screened by leaping forward Matthew Ford, at 10:16 for his 11th goal of the season. At 10:54, Condors defenseman Joey LaLeggia fired a snap shot from the top of the left face-off circle past Dell, who was screened by Condors forward Jujhar Khaira, for his eighth goal of the season.
Carpenter got the Barracuda on the scoreboard at 16:05 with his 16th goal of the season off a quick turnaround snap shot from the left point that fooled Condors goaltender Eetu Laurikainen. Barracuda defensemen Ryan and Mirco Mueller picked up the assists on the goal.
After being out-shot 17-15 in the second period, the Barracuda out-shot the Condors 11-2 in the third period and pulled to within a goal at 4:38 when forward Jeremy Morin beat Laurikainen with a backhanded shot through the wickets from on top of the crease for a power play goal, his 15th goal of the season.
Despite the high volume of shots on goal in the third period, the Barracuda couldn’t get the tying shot past Laurikainen, who finished with 37-saves. With Dell pulled for the extra attacker, Condors forward Bogdan Yakimov sealed a Condors win with an empty net goal, his fifth goal of the season, at 18:47.
NOTES… Shots on goal were 39-23 in favor of the Barracuda… The Barracuda went 1-for-4 on the power play and 4-for-6 on the penalty kill… Dell is now 15-14-5 with a 2.27 goals-against-average (seventh amongst AHL goalies) and .925 save percentage (fifth amongst AHL goalies)… Of the eight shorthanded goals the Barracuda have allowed this season, five of them have come against the Condors… 2014 San Jose Sharks draftee Alex Schoenborn made his professional debut with the Barracuda and wore no. 56… Earlier in the week, Barracuda forward Nikita Jevpalovs was reassigned to the Allen Americans of the ECHL… The Barracuda fell to 12-10-7 on the road and 29-23-10 with 68 points overall… The Barracuda continue their road trip Saturday night as they travel to play the San Diego Gulls with puck drop scheduled for 7:05 p.m/pt.
THREE STARS
1. Rob Kilinkhammer – Condors (1-2-3)
2. Eetu Laurikainen – Condors (37 saves, Win)
3. Ryan Carpenter – Barracuda (1-1-2)
LINES
*In order of appearance*
Goodrow / Carpenter / Emanuelsson
Lerg (C) / McCarthy / Parkes
Morin / Langlois / Goldobin
Gallant / Timmins / Schoenborn
DEFENSE
Young / Ryan
Stollery (A) / Bergman
Mueller / Brodzinski
GOALIES
Dell
Grosenick
SCRATCHES
Martin
McLaren
McNally
Doremus (INJ)
Torres (IR)
