Barracuda win first home game in franchise history
As an AHL rookie with the then Worcester Sharks in the 2014-15 season, forward Jeremy Langlois gave the Sharks lineup much needed offensive bite as he led the team in goals with 16 through 42-games played until a broken bone in his foot sidelined him for the final 32-games of the regular season.
Expected to bring his offensive bite from Worcester to the newly relocated San Jose Barracuda franchise when the San Jose Sharks signed him in the off-season to a one-year contract, Langlois only had one assist through the Barracuda's first six games.
All that changed at 16:50 of the third period Sunday afternoon at SAP Center as with the game tied 2-2, Langlois skated down the right side of the offensive zone, went behind the cage and wrapped the puck into an open net on the left side for his first goal of the season, which held up as the winning goal, to give the Barracuda a 4-2 win over the Ontario Reign (AHL affiliate of the Los Angeles Kings) and their first ever home win.
Barracuda goaltender Aaron Dell made 32-saves in net for his third win while forwards John McCarthy and Nikolay Goldobin each had a goal and an assist (the first AHL points for Goldobin) to give the Reign their first regulation loss of the season. In addition, defenseman Mirco Mueller scored the Barracuda's first goal from the blue line with a power play goal in the second period.
With the Reign playing their third game in as many days, the Barracuda took an early 1-0 lead at 2:05 of the first period when McCarthy fired the puck up-and-over Reign goaltender Peter Budaj from the right side of the crease. Barracuda forwards Trevor Parkes and Goldboin had the assists on the goal, which was McCarthy's first of the season and ended a franchise record 169:05 goalless drought.
The Reign tied the game at 10:55 when forward Michael Mersch, who was left all alone, buried home a one-timer from the left side of the goal off a cross ice centering feed from the right side by linemate Sean Backman for a power play goal, his fifth goal of the season.
Mueller regained the Barracuda lead at 14:06 of the second period when he ripped a slap shot from the center point off a face-off win in the left circle of the Reign zone by Barracuda forward Scott TImmins.
As was the case in the first period when the Barracuda scored, the Reign answered back, this time just 49-seconds later when forward Bo Horvat found a loose puck at the right side of the goal crease and lifted a backhanded shot up-and-over Dell, who was being screened in the crease by Barracuda forward Petter Emanuelsson.
After Langlois' goal put the Barracuda up 3-2 late in the third period, Goldobin sealed a Barracuda home win with an empty net goal at 19:01 that was assisted by McCarthy and Emanuelsson.
NOTES... Shots on goal were 34-29 in favor of the Reign... The Barracuda went 1-for-5 on the power play and 2-for-3 on the penalty kill... Dell is now 3-1-0 with a 2.16 goals-against-average and .930 save percentage... Prior to the game, San Jose and Worcester Sharks alumni Kyle McLaren dropped the ceremonial first puck... Barracuda defenseman Joakim Ryan had the lone assist on Langlois' game-winning-goal... Barracuda forward Bryan Lerg and defenseman Dylan DeMelo were recalled to the San Jose Sharks earlier in the week... This was the second of twelve meetings between the Barracuda and Reign... The Barracuda are 1-1-0 against the Reign, 1-2-1 at SAP Center and 3-3-1 with seven points overall.. The Barracuda are back in action Nov. 7 when they host the San Diego Gulls for the first annual Barracuda Teddy Bear Toss with puck drop scheduled for 1:15pm/pt.
THREE STARS
1. Jeremy Langlois - Barracuda (1-0-1, GWG)
2. John McCarthy - Barracuda (1-1-2)
3. Michael Mersch - Reign (1-0-1)
LINES
*In order of appearance*
Goldobin / McCarthy (A) / Emanuelsson
Haley / Carpenter / Langlois
Jevpalovs / Timmins / Arseneau
McLaren / Crane / Parkes
DEFENSE
*In order of appearance*
Stollery (A) / Bergman
Mueller / Ryan
Young / McNalley
GOALIES
Dell
Grosenick
SCRATCHES
Cundari (ill)
Karlsson (inj)