MAKINIEMI BLANKS ROADRUNNERS IN CHIPPY AFFIAR
Mar 24, 2024San Jose, Ca. – The San Jose Barracuda (20-30-9-2) scored three times on the power play and got 29 saves from Eetu Makiniemi en-route to 4-0 win against the Tucson Roadrunners (36-21-3-2) on Sunday afternoon at Tech CU Arena. In the victory, the Barracuda went on the man advantage a season-high nine times and the two clubs combined for 158 penalty minutes. Also a watermark for the season.
Makiniemi’s shutout was his third of the year, seventh of this career, and second in his last five games. Tucson had not been shutout since Nov. 22 and it was just the third time in which they had not scored in a game this season.
In the first, the Barracuda outshot the Roadrunners 14-6 and on their third power play, Danil Gushchin (15) ripped in a loose puck just above the crease at 18:36 to open the scoring. For Gushchin, who missed 13 games from Jan. 27 to Feb. 28 with an upper-body injury, it was his first goal since Jan. 22 and his first goal in his last eight games. Gushchin is now up to 42 points on the year, which ranks second on the team.
In the second, Tucson found its groove and at one point outshot the Barracuda 13-3, but on San Jose’s fifth power play of the game, Cole Cassels (9) was able to bank in his team's second goal at 17:35.
Up by a pair in the third, Barracuda would add to their lead at 8:47 as Oscar Lindblom (8) bounced a centering pass off a Roadrunner and in. Then, on the club’s eighth power play, Ethan Cardwell (19) would one-time a shot past Dylan Wells to make it 4-0 Barracuda. The game would hit a boiling point in the third when the two teams combined for 120 penalty minutes in the frame, including eight misconducts assessed in the final two minutes. The Barracuda would finish the game with 40 shots on net, picking up their third shutout as a team.
The Barracuda close out their four-game homestand on Wednesday (7 p.m.) against the Ontario Reign before hitting the road for five in a row. For tickets and more information about upcoming promotions, go to sjbarracuda.com.