BARRACUDA FIGHT OFF CONDORS COMEBACK, WIN 4-3

Mar 14, 2017

BAKERSFIELD, CALIF. - The San Jose Barracuda (37-12-2-4) scored three opening-period goals before fending off a furious Bakersfield Condors (26-23-5-1) comeback to win 4-3 at Rabobank Arena on Tuesday night.
 
The Barracuda opened up the first-period scoring on the power play at 4:20 as Julius Bergman (3) stepped into a slap shot from the right circle and beat Nick Ellis over the left pad. Rourke Chartier (14) added to San Jose's advantage by sneaking a short-side shot over Ellis's shoulder and under the bar at 8:47. Less than a minute later, Jon Martin (2) ended Ellis's night with a sneaky-quick wrist shot from the right wing at 9:32. Ellis lasted nine minutes and 32 seconds and allowed three goals on 13 shots before getting pulled.
 
In the second period, a pair of open-ice hits by Braden Christoffer prompted Zack Stortini to drop the mitts with Christoffer at 11:47. Stortini won the fight, but a minute and six seconds later Mark Olver centered a pass from below the goal line to Justin Fontaine (11) who beat Troy Grosenick over the left shoulder at 12:53. San Jose countered and pushed its lead back up to three as Jacob Middleton (1) fired a rebound past Jonas Gustavsson at 15:21 for his first professional goal.
 
In the third, Jordan Oesterle (6) stepped up from the left point and fired a shot inside the far post at 6:11 to cut San Jose's lead to two. Less than three minutes later Jaedon Descheneau (2) poked home a loose puck on the backdoor at 9:03. Despite the two third period goals, the Barracuda stopped the bleeding and held on for the 4-3 win.
 
Grosenick (25-8-3) stopped 26 shots to earn the victory while Gustavsson suffered the loss after allowing one goal on 17 shots in 48 minutes and 52 seconds of relief.
 
On Friday, March 17, the Barracuda kick off a home-and-home with the Stockton Heat at SAP Center. Catch all the action on AM 1220 KDOW, www.kdow.biz and www.ahllive.com. Tickets are available at the SAP Center Box Office, at 408-999-5757, or online at SJBarracuda.com/tickets.
 
Goal Scorers:
SJ: J. Bergman (3), R. Chartier (14), J. Martin (2), J. Middleton (1)
BAK: J. Fontaine (11), J. Oesterle (6), J. Descheneau (2)
 
Goaltenders:
SJ: T. Grosenick - W (26/29) 
BAK: J. Gustavsson - L (16/17)/Nick Ellis (10/13)
 
BARRACUDA Power Play: (1/2)
BARRACUDA Penalty Kill: (3/3)
 
Three Stars:
1. SJ - J. Middleton
2. BAK - J. Oesterle
3. BAK - B. Christoffer
 
BOX SCORE