BARRACUDA DRAIN REIGN, 4-2
Mar 3, 2023San Jose, CA – The San Jose Barracuda (22-26-1-4) netted a pair of shorthanded goals on Friday night at Tech CU Arena, rolling past the Ontario Reign (30-20-3-1), 4-2.
In the first, SJ outshot the Reign 8-7, and each team went on the power play, but the game remained 0-0 after one.
In the second, after Patrick Sieloff was called for hooking and while on the penalty kill, Luke Johnson (9) ripped home his first shorthanded goal of his career, snapping an eight-game goalless drought in the process. At 7:12, Derrick Pouliot picked off a pass in the neutral zone, raced up the left wing and spotted Danil Gushchin (13) who fired in a low shot along the ice to give the Barracuda 2-0 lead. At 11:20, Tyler Madden (14) cut the lead in half on a back-post pass from T.J. Tynan, but Andrew Agozzino (18) would bank in a shot at 13:32 while on a delayed power play, putting the Barracuda back up by two.
At 4:39 of the third, while on the PK, the Cuda would take a 4-1 lead as Lias Andersson blew a tire in the o-zone, leading to a two-on-one back the other way and Jeff Viel would slide the puck over to Agozzino (19) who snapped in his second of the game. Madden would score at 8:40 while on a five-on-three power play, but the Barracuda would hold on for the 4-2 win.
Aaron Dell (8-11-2) made 25 stops to improve to 2-0 against the Reign this season, while Matt Villalta (11-6-0) allowed four on 22, snapping a five-game winning streak.
The Barracuda return to the ice on Saturday night (6 p.m.) at Tech CU Arena to take on the Coachella Valley Firebirds. Saturday’s game is 80’s Night which will feature $3 beers.. For tickets and more info about upcoming promotions and specials, visit sjbarracuda.com.