POTURALSKI’S HEROICS LIFT CUDA PAST FIREBIRDS IN SHOOTOUT
Dec 12, 2024Palm Desert, CA - In his first game back at Acrisure Arena since helping guide the Coachella Valley Firebirds (11-8-1-3) to back-to-back Calder Cup Finals, San Jose Barracuda (15-6-0-1) forward Andrew Poturalski scored with under two minutes to go in regulation to tie the game on Thursday night and then won it in the second round of a shootout to complete the 4-3 victory. The Barracuda finished the game with a season-high 54 shots and have now picked up points in seven in a row (6-0-0-1) and have won their last three. Ethan Cardwell led the way with 10 shots on net as the Barracuda improved to 4-0 against the Firebirds.
In the first, the Barracuda failed to record a shot until the 7:11 mark but would finish the period by outshooting the Firebirds 9-8, but the game would remain 0-0 after 20 minutes.
In the second, the Barracuda began the period on the power play and would take a 1-0 lead at 1:03 when Danil Gushchin (4) ripped in a short-side snipe. Then, a minute and 32 seconds later, Lucas Carlsson (1) would snap home his first in a Cuda sweater to make it 2-0, also on the power play. The Barracuda would have a chance to go up 3-0 when Cardwell drew a penalty shot while shorthanded, but he failed to beat Ales Stezka, and the Firebirds would go on to score a pair of power-play goals to tie it up minutes later. First, Jani Nyman (6) scored during a five-on-three, and then 19 seconds later, Jagger Firkus (6) notched the tying goal on the second of the two minors. The Barracuda finished the frame outshooting Coachella Valley 26-5, but the game remained tied at 2-2 after two.
In the third, the Firebirds were all over the Barracuda. They would take their first lead when Brandon Biro (1) snapped in the go-ahead goal off a won faceoff at 14:41. But, down by a goal, the Barracuda would use their timeout and pull Yaroslav Askarov at 17:43, and with their net empty they would tie it. At 18:37, Poturalski (9) had the puck bounce to him on the left wing, and he quickly swiped it in before Stezka could get over.
In overtime, the Barracuda outshot the Firebirds 4-2, but the game remained 3-3 after 65 minutes. In the shootout, Askarov made two saves, and Gushchin and Poturalski scored to earn the second point.
The Barracuda continue their five-game road trip in San Diego on Saturday (6 p.m.) against the Gulls and return to Tech CU Arena on Saturday, Dec 21 (6 p.m.) to host the Bakersfield Condors. For tickets and more info, go to sjbarracuda.com/tickets.