San Jose overcame an early deficit to defeat the Bakersfield Condors 5-3 on Saturday night at Tech CU Arena.
The Barracuda trailed for much of the first two periods but came alive in the third, scoring three unanswered goals to take the lead and secure the victory. The win was an important step in a tight division race and gave the team momentum as they head into a week of home games.
First Period
The game opened with an early score from the San Jose Barracuda. At 5:28, Oliver Wahlstrom converted a power-play opportunity, assisted by Igor Chernyshov and Filip Bystedt. The goal gave San Jose a 1-0 lead and came after Bakersfield had two minor penalties in the first four minutes.
Bakersfield responded just under four minutes later. On their own power play, Quinn Hutson scored at 9:03, assisted by Viljami Marjala and Seth Griffith, tying the game 1-1. Both teams generated scoring chances, with Bakersfield creating pressure near the net and San Jose firing shots from the perimeter.
The Condors took the lead later in the period. At 18:48, Damien Carfagna scored, assisted by Max Jones and Josh Samanski, giving Bakersfield a 2-1 advantage. San Jose had several shots in the closing minutes, but the period ended with Bakersfield holding the lead 2-1. Shots on goal favored San Jose 12–8, and both teams had multiple penalties, including tripping, holding, and roughing infractions.
Second Period
San Jose tied the game early in the second period. At 1:53, Cam Lund scored, assisted by Jimmy Huntington, making it 2-2. The Barracuda continued to apply pressure, taking several shots on goal in the opening minutes.
Bakersfield regained the lead later in the period. Josh Brown scored at 8:48, assisted by James Hamblin and Riley Stillman, putting the Condors ahead 3-2. Bakersfield also had a penalty shot at 17:01 when Max Jones was awarded one, but Laurent Brossoit made the save.
After the game, Head Coach John McCarthy said, “We carried the play, which was good,” reflecting on the team’s performance despite some early chances for San Jose. The period ended with Bakersfield still leading by one. San Jose outshot Bakersfield 19 to 10, and both teams had multiple penalties, including hooking and roughing, which created power-play opportunities.
Third Period
San Jose came out strong in the third period. At 2:23, Jimmy Huntington scored, assisted by Egor Afanasyev and Mattias Havelid, tying the game 3-3. The Barracuda continued to generate scoring chances, putting pressure on Bakersfield’s goaltender, Connor Ungar.
Later in the period, Colin White scored at 15:15, assisted by Egor Afanasyev and Nolan Allan, giving San Jose a 4-3 lead. White’s goal was the game-winner. Towards the end of the period, Igor Chernyshov added an empty-net goal at 19:40 to secure the win for San Jose, making the final score 5-3 ‘Cuda.
McCarthy said, “He scored some big goals for us,” referring to Colin White and highlighting his contribution to the team’s third-period success. Bakersfield made a late goalie change, but the Barracuda held onto the lead. San Jose outshot Bakersfield 12 to 8 in the period, and both teams had minor penalties, though they did not affect the outcome in the final minutes.
Postgame
San Jose earned a 5-3 win over Bakersfield, completing a comeback after falling behind early. The Barracuda scored three third-period goals to take control and secure the victory. Colin White’s third-period goal was the game-winner, and Igor Chernyshov added an empty-net goal to finish the scoring.
McCarthy said, “We carried the play, which was good,” reflecting on the team’s overall effort and ability to respond after giving up early goals. Key players like Jimmy Huntington, Egor Afanasyev, and White were important in turning the game around.
The game was significant for several reasons. It marked San Jose’s ability to win against a familiar division rival, keeping them competitive in a tight playoff race. It also showed the team’s depth, with multiple players contributing to scoring and returning players like Chernyshov making a strong impact. The victory gave the Barracuda momentum heading into a week of home games, which could be important for their playoff push.
