SORENSEN'S HAT-TRICK LIFTS SAN JOSE TO 6-1 WIN OVER TEXAS
Nov 5, 2017
SAN JOSE, CA - The San Jose Barracuda (4-5-0-1) defeated the Texas Stars (5-6-0-1) Sunday night at SAP Center, jumping out to an early lead with a three-goal first period and finishing with a 6-1 victory.
The Barracuda entered the game on a three-game losing streak, hoping a return to their home ice might alleviate the issues that led to a 1-4 road trip during the final weeks of October. San Jose's six goals on the night matched their season high to this point in the 2017 campaign, and demonstrated a sense or aggression and urgency that was sorely lacking in recent weeks.
Both teams took advantage of power play opportunities in a high-scoring first period that ended with a total of four goals. San Jose's Marcus Sorensen (2) gave the Barracuda their first lead at the 12:48 mark, scoring between the hashes off a centering feed from Danny O'Regan with the man advantage. The Stars evened the game with a power play goal of their own, the first for Texas in five games, when Ludwig Bystrom (1) buried his first goal on the season at 14:06. San Jose quickly regained the lead when Sorensen (3) put away his second goal of the night at the 15:05 mark, after sneaking around the back of the net and collecting a cross-ice feed from newly reassigned teammate Kevin Labanc. The Barracuda extended the lead to 3-1 with just under three minutes to play in the first period, when Filip Sandberg (4) netted the team's second power play goal on the night off an assist from the left circle by Rudolfs Balcers.
Netminders Troy Grosenick and Mike McKenna shined in the second period of play, each holding the opposing offense to a scoreless 20 minutes with impressive saves and plenty of help from their defenses.
The Barracuda turned up the heat again offensively in the third period with three additional goals on 16 shots. Sorensen (4) completed the hat-trick with 12:08 remaining in the third, scoring once again from between the hashes off an O'Regan assist. Moments later, Cavan Fitzgerald (1) buried a slapshot from the left-point for his first goal of the season on the power play. Finally, Olivier Archambault (1) put away the final goal of the game with just over a minute left to play, scoring his first of the season with help from Balcers and Barracuda assistant captain Brandon Mashinter.
Grosenick (4-2) earned the victory making 29 saves on 30 shots, while McKenna (5-5) took the loss with 30 saves on 36 shots.
BOX SCORE