BARRACUDA LATE-GAME COLLAPSE LEADS TO PRESEASON OPENING LOSS

Oct 9, 2021

Loveland, CO – The San Jose Barracuda (0-1-0-0) opened exhibition play on Saturday night in Colorado, taking on the Colorado Eagles for the first time since last May. Despite leading by a pair of goals with under three minutes to go, the Barracuda would give up three tallies and eventually fall 4-3 at the hands of the Avalanche affiliate.

 

In the first, the Barracuda would come up empty on the only power-play opportunity of the opening period, and at full-strength, Colorado’s Brandon Cutler (1) would break the deadlock with a backhand-to-forehand move on a breakaway at 5:37.

 

Just 43 seconds into the second period, off a faceoff, San Jose’s Nick Cicek would drop the mitts with Connor McDonald of the Eagles in a spirited tilt that would end with Cicek dropping McDonald with a hard-right punch. Just under seven minutes later, Zach Gallant (1) would level the score at the tail-end of a power play as he received a tick-tack-toe past from Evan Weinger. A minute and 23 seconds later, Brinson Pasichnuk would snap in a close-range shot to give the Barracuda its first lead. Halfway through the second, each team would change its goaltenders as Zachary Sawchenko was replaced by Zachary Emond and Hunter Miska was relieved by Trent Miner.

 

Up by a goal, the Barracuda would add on to their lead as Joe Garreffa (1) intercepted a Colorado clearing attempt in the slot and beat Miner on the far side at 14:05. Exactly three minutes later, Jean-Luc Foudy (1) was able to sneak a low shot under Emond to cut the lead down to 3-2 and 42 seconds later Ryan Wagner (1) would tie the game on a short-side shot from the left-wing. With 40 seconds left, and momentum on their side, Foudy (2) would score again after the Barracuda turned the puck over in the offensive zone which led to an Eagles' rush the other way.

 

The Barracuda and Eagles will wrap up the preseason on Sunday at 1 p.m. Listen to all the action on the Sharks+SAP Center App presented by Western Digital or at SJBarracuda.com/listen.

 

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