POTURALSKI SETS GOAL RECORD IN SHOOTOUT LOSS
Mar 16, 2025Tucson, Ariz. – The San Jose Barracuda (29-21-4-4) held a two-goal lead in the third period on Sunday at the Tucson Arena, but failed to close out the Tucson Roadrunners (29-25-3-2), eventually falling 6-5 in a shootout. In the loss, Andrew Poturalski scored twice, setting a new single-season franchise record for goals at 27. He also matched the single-season franchise record for power-play goals in a year at 11. The Barracuda wrapped up the game going four-for-seven on the advantage.
— SJ Barracuda (@sjbarracuda) March 17, 2025
After failing to score on a pair of early power plays, the Roadrunners broke the ice at 7:28 during full strength when Hunter Drew (13) banked a shot off Aaron Dell and in from below the goal line. Tucson would then take a pair of minors, and on a five-on-three, Danil Gushchin (21) ripped in the equalizer from atop the left circle at 9:34. Still with power play time remaining, Lucas Carlsson (10) made it 2-1 when Colin White found him drifting down from the right point at 10:27. After Ben McCartney (12) tied it at 13:38, the Barracuda would go three-for-three on the power play in the first when Poturalski (26) tipped in a Luca Cagnoni point shot.
In the second, Poturalski (27) made it 4-2 as he worked around Roadrunner goaltender Matt Villalta at 4:38 and fired in his second of the game from just outside the crease. A minute and 12 seconds later, the Roadrunners would inch back within one when Curtis Douglas (8) tipped in a point shot, extending his goals streak to four.
Up 4-3, the Barracuda would begin the third on a five-on-three power play, and just 56 seconds into the frame, Pavol Regenda (9) jammed in a back-post feed to make 5-3. Despite having two more power play chances in the third, the Barracuda could not extend their lead and at the 14-minute mark, Douglas (9) wired in his second of the game to get the Roadrunners back within one. With under four minutes to go, San Jose was called for a pair of minors and the Roadrunners would tie the score at 18:10 on a Sammy Walker (7) tip.
In overtime, the Barracuda were called for their seventh minor of the game, but managed to kill it off, so the contest would head to a shootout. In the shootout, Tucson got goals from Walker and Max Szuber and Villata made a pair of saves to complete the 6-5 comeback win.
The Barracuda return to Tech CU Arena on Wednesday morning (10:30 a.m.) to host the San Diego Gulls for Cuda Classroom Day. For more info, go to SJBarracuda.com.