DESPITE LATE PUSH, BARRACUDA FALL TO CONDORS
Jan 28, 2023Bakersfield, CA – The San Jose Barracuda (18-22-0-3) tied the game twice on Saturday and pushed hard in the third to get within a goal but would eventually fall to the Bakersfield Condors (16-21-2-1), 5-4, at Mechanics Bank Arena.
In the first, Seth Griffith (11) would open the scoring, firing a shot past Aaron Dell while on the power play at 9:50. For the second consecutive night, the Barracuda would finish the opening period trailing 1-0.
In the second, Luke Johnson (8) would tie things up with a chip shot in front of the Condors net off a feed from Jeff Viel at 3:45. The Condors would take their second penalty of the game at 6:22 but proceeded to claim their lead back on a shorthanded tally off the stick of Dino Kambeitz (4) after a Barracuda turnover. William Eklund (12) would pick up the tying goal at 15:30, putting home a rebound from on Martin Kaut shot, but the Condors would regain the lead as Max Gildon (1) fired one in from the right point at 16:16.
Trailing 3-2, the Barracuda would begin the third period with 24 seconds remaining on the power play, but it would be the Condors who picked up the first goal of the period as Devin Shore (2) would extend the Bakersfield lead on a back-door feed from Jason Demers. Raphael Lavoie (10) would add a fifth for the home team at 5:13 after the Barracuda failed to hold the offensive blueline, leading to an odd-man rush the other way. Down by three, Adam Raska (1) would swipe in a Viel rebound at 6:41 for his first of the year and first in his last 30 games. 12 seconds later, Raska (2) would notch another goal, this time by taking the puck straight to the net. The Barracuda would outshoot the Condors 14- 6 in the final period but failed to level the score, falling 5-4.
Dell (7-9-1) suffered the loss, allowing five goals on 28 shots, and is now 1-1 against the Condors this season, while Calvin Pickard (8-5-1-1) picked up the win in his first-ever game against a Sharks’ affiliate, making 32 stops.
The Barracuda return home on Friday, Feb. 3 for the first of back-to-back games against Abbotsford Canucks. For tickets and more info about upcoming promotions and specials, visit sjbarracuda.com.