Down a goal with 3:05 left in the third period and already on the power play, San Jose Barracuda captain Bryan Lerg drew a high-sticking penalty to give the Barracuda 1:18 of 5-on-3 power play time.
Unfortunately, the Barracuda were unable to capitalize on the golden opportunity for the equalizing goal as they failed to register a shot on goal during their 5-on-3 power play time and eventually the horn sounded for a 2-1 loss to the Ontario Reign (AHL affiliate of the Los Angeles Kings) Wednesday night at the Citizens Business Bank Arena.
Goaltender Aaron Dell made 21 saves in net while forward Jeremy Langlois had the lone goal for the Barracuda, who have scored just 21 goals through the first 10 games of the season and are 4-for-39 on the power play.
The Reign scored two times in the first period to take a 2-0 lead into the first intermission. Defenseman Kurtis MacDermid scored his first professional goal at 11:11 off a snap shot from just inside the blue line at the center point that got through traffic and past Dell after the Reign had hemmed the Barracuda’s fourth line in their own zone for nearly a couple minutes.
At 18:15, Reign forward Sean Backman buried a one-timer from the right hash mark in the slot for his second goal of the season.
Langlois got the Barracuda on the board at 10:38 of the second period with his third goal of the season off an excellent individual effort that saw Langlois skate down the left wing, cut across the slot and beat Reign goaltender Peter Budaj with a fade away snap shot from just inside the right circle. Barracuda forward Gary Steffes and Lerg had the assists on Langlois’ goal, which was his third goal in his last four games.
After not having a power play opportunity through the first 40 minutes, the Barracuda had three power play chances in the final frame but couldn’t get the tying goal past Budaj, who finished with 16 saves after making seven in third.
NOTES… Shots on goal were 23-17 in favor of the Reign… The Barracuda went 0-for-3 on the power play and 2-for-2 on the penalty kill… Dell is now 3-3-0 with a 2.53 goals-against-average and .914 save percentage… Barracuda forward Trevor Parkes had a team high 12 penalty minutes, all of which came on matching misconducts and roughing penalties to him and Reign forward Scott Sabourin… Barracuda forward Ryan Carpenter dropped the gloves with Reign forward Ryan Horvat at 3:13 of the first period for his first professional fighting major… Lerg has a four game point streak (3-2-5)… This was the third of 12 meetings between the Barracuda and Reign… The Barracuda are 1-2-0 against the Reign, 2-2-0 on the road and 3-6-1 with seven points overall… The Barracuda are back in action Nov. 13 as they travel to take on the San Diego Gulls at 7:05 p.m./pt.
THREE STARS
1. Sean Backman – Reign (1-0-1, GWG)
2. Kurtis MacDermid – Reign (1-0-1)
3. Jeremy Langlois – Barracuda (1-0-1)
LINES
*In order of appearance*
Lerg (C) / Carpenter / Langlois
Goodrow / Timmins / Parkes
Jevpalovs / McCarthy (A) / Emanuelsson
Arseneau / Crane / Steffes
DEFENSE
*In order of appearance*
Stollery / DeMelo
Young / Ryan
Cundari / Bergman
GOALIES
Dell
Grosenick
SCRATCHES
McNally
McLaren (inj)
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