BARRACUDA NEVER TRAIL, WIN 4-2 AGAINST HEAT
Feb 2, 2019San Jose, Ca - The San Jose Barracuda (26-8-2-4) looked to continue their success against the Stockton Heat (18-22-4-1) (Calgary Flames) when they welcomed them into SAP Center at San Jose on Saturday afternoon. The game on Saturday saw multiple comeback attempts by Stockton but eventually San Jose held off the Heat by a final of 4-2. As part of the Barracuda's throwback affiliate nights in 2018-19, San Jose donned the sweaters of the Kentucky Thoroughblades the San Jose Sharks AHL affiliate from 1996-2001.
On Friday, San Jose took down Stockton 6-4 at the Stockton arena and looked to carry that momentum into Saturday in the second game of a home-and-home. The first period looked like it would end in a scoreless tie until San Jose used a late power play to take a 1-0 lead into the dressing room. With under one second left in the first period, Kyle Wood (4) one-timed a shot from the left wing and beat Heat goalie Tyler Parsons through the five-hole.
Stockton tied the score at 7:41 of the second on an odd-man as Anthony Peluso(3) received a pass from Curtis Lazar and Peluso sniped a shot over Antoine Bibeau's glove to make it 1-1. The 'Cuda would answer back quickly when Evan Weinger (8) split two Heat defenders as he angled towards the net and rocketed a wrist shot short side at 11:58.
San Jose took that 2-1 lead into the locker room, but the one-goal advantage would not last more than five minutes into the third period as Ryan Lomberg sent a pass from his own goal line onto the tape of Spencer Foo (12) who drove the puck to the net before chipping a shot from the low slot over the shoulder of Bibeau to even the score at 4:48 of the third. But Cavan Fitzgerald (3) answered right back for San Jose. Fitzgerald jumped out of the penalty box, received a neutral zone pass from Dylan Gambrell and snapped in the go-ahead goal at 7:23 of the third. Jon Martin (8) tacked on an empty-netter for San Jose to give the Barracuda a 4-2 win.
Antoine Bibeau (10-5-5) made 28 saves to earn his fourth win over Stockton and his 10th on the season, while Parson (6-6-1) suffered his second loss in as many nights by allowing three goals on 31 San Jose' shots.
The victory marked the sixth straight against Stockton, who will not be back in SAP Center at San Jose on the 10th of March. Next up for San Jose is a Tuesday evening game at SAP Center against the Iowa Wild, who currently sit in 2nd in the AHL's Central Division. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 PM and you can follow the game live on 1220 KDOW, the Sharks App, and online with watchtheahl.com
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