Despite suffering a 4-3 shootout loss to the Stockton Heat (AHL affiliate of the Calgary Flames) at Stockton Arena Saturday night, the San Jose Barracuda extended their point streak to four games thanks to the play in net by goaltender Troy Grosenick, who made a career high and franchise record 49-saves in 65-minutes of hockey.
The Barracuda, who were out-shot 53-33 for the game, got regulation goals from forwards Barclay Goodrow, Scott Timmins and John McCarthy. In addition, defenseman Mark Cundari dished out two assists and forward Jeremy Langlois fired a team high five shots on goal.
The Heat, who evened up the season series at one game a piece with the win, jumped out to a 2-0 lead inside the opening nine minutes of the game by converting on two odd man rushes nearly three minutes apart. Heat forward Kenny Agostino fired the puck past Grosenick from the hash marks at 5:16 for his first goal of the season, which was followed by forward Markus Granlund’s fifth goal of the season at 8:13.
Goodrow got the Barracuda on the scoreboard at 3:14 of the second period when he deflected in Cundari’s howitzer slap shot from above the left face-off circle for a power play goal, his third goal of the season. Barracuda defenseman Joakim Ryan was credited with the secondary assist.
Timmins tied the game early in the third period when fired a one-timer from in the left slot past Heat goaltender Kevin Poulin at 2:49 for his fourth goal of the season, which was assisted by forwards Nikita Jevpalovs and Greger Hanson.
Nearly three minutes later at 5:26, McCarthy beat Poulin with a quick snap shot from just in front of the left circle face-off dot on an odd man rush to put the Barracuda ahead 3-2. Cundari had the lone assist on the goal, which was McCarthy’s second of the season and made possible by Hanson’s solid check along the left boards in the neutral zone on Heat defenseman Pat Sieloff.
The Heat, who out-shot the Barracuda 17-4 in the final frame, pulled even at 12:05 when forward Emile Poirier positioned himself on top of the crease and buried home a centering feed for his first goal of the season.
After a scoreless overtime session that saw both teams exchange scoring chances, the game headed to the shootout where McCarthy matched Agostino’s goal in the first round. However, Poulin injured his knee while attempting to stop McCarthy’s shot and was replaced by backup goaltender Kent Simpson.
Following both teams matching each other goal-for-goal in the third and fourth rounds, former San Jose and Worcester Sharks forward Freddie Hamilton, who use to be Grosenick’s roommate, scored in the top of the fifth round to give the Heat a 4-3 lead. Needing a goal to extended the shootout to a sixth round, Goodrow was stopped by Simpson on his shootout attempt to give the Barracuda their second straight shootout loss.
NOTES… The Barracuda went 1-for-1 on the power play and 5-for-5 on the penalty kill… Grosenick is now 2-3-2 with a 3.05 goals-against-average and .912 save percentage… Langlois and Jevpalovs scored the Barracuda’s shootout goals in the third and fourth rounds while captain Bryan Lerg had his shootout attempt in the second round hit off the crossbar… The Barracuda are 4-2-2 on the road and 5-6-3 with thirteen points overall… The Barracuda are back in action Nov. 24 as they travel to play the Charlotte Checkers at 4pm/pt.
THREE STARS
1. Freddie Hamilton – Heat (Shootout GWG)
2. Mark Cundari – Barracuda (0-2-2)
3. Kenny Agostino – Heat (1-1-2)
LINES
Lerg (C) / Carpenter / Langlois
Goodrow / Timmins / Parkes
Jevpalovs / McCarthy (A) / Hanson
McLaren / Aviani / Emanuelsson
DEFENSE
Stollery / DeMelo (A)
Young / Ryan
Cundari / Bergman
GOALIES
Grosenick
Dell
SCRATCHES
Crane
Doremus
McNally
Gallant (inj)
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