Bakersfield, Calif. – The San Jose Barracuda opened the 2026 preseason with a 2-1 shootout win over the Bakersfield Condors on Friday night at Dignity Health Arena, as Wade Murphy scored the deciding goal in the skills competition and goaltender Matt Davis turned aside 33 of 34 shots.

After a scoreless opening period, defenseman Tristan Sarsland broke the deadlock, pinching from the right point at 11:10 of the second, beating Bakersfield goaltender Nathaniel Day for his first goal of the preseason on a back-side pass from Carson Wetsch.

The lead was short-lived, however, as Bakersfield answered on the power play just over four minutes later. With San Jose down a man, Daniel D'Amato found the back of the net at 15:37 to even the score at 1-1 with a snipe from the right dot. Zach Bookman and Hunter Johannes picked up the assists.

Neither side could break the tie in the third period despite nine shots apiece, sending the game to overtime. San Jose then had to survive a penalty in the extra session after Donavan Houle was whistled for hooking at 1:18. Bakersfield generated three shots during overtime, but Davis kept the Condors off the board to force a shootout.

Davis was perfect in the shootout, denying Tucker Robertson, Simon Tassy and D'Amato on all three Bakersfield attempts. After Michal Stinil was stopped on San Jose's first attempt, Murphy converted in the second round, providing the only shootout goal and the eventual game-winner.

Bakersfield controlled much of the opening period, outshooting San Jose 11-1, but Davis kept the game scoreless and finished the game with 33 saves. The Barracuda found their legs in the second, putting 10 shots on goal after managing just one in the opening 20 minutes. San Jose finished with 21 shots compared to Bakersfield's 34.

San Jose went 0-for-5 on the power play, while Bakersfield finished 1-for-3. The Barracuda were assessed 11 penalty minutes, including a third-period fighting major to Ryley Appelt, who dropped the gloves with Bakersfield's Riley Wallack at 12:10.

Bakersfield split the night between its two goaltenders. Samuel Jonsson stopped all eight shots he faced through 30:01 before Nathaniel Day entered midway through the second period. Day stopped 12 of 13 shots over the final 34:59 before Murphy beat him in the shootout.

The Barracuda and Condors will wrap up their two-game preseason set on Saturday (5 p.m.) at Tech CU Arena.

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The Barracuda and Condors will wrap up their two-game preseason set on Saturday at 5 p.m. at Tech CU Arena. San Jose will open the 2026-27 regular season on Saturday, Oct. 3 against the San Diego Gulls at 3 p.m. Opening Night will feature a full-arena magnet schedule giveaway presented by Rotten Robbie.