San Jose, CA — The San Jose Barracuda (27-15-1-2) notched a season-high eight goals on Sunday afternoon, defeating the Henderson Silver Knights (19-18-6-2), 8-4, at Tech CU Arena to split the two-game weekend set.

In the win, rookie winger Kasper Halttunen recorded his first career hat trick, and Oliver Wahlstrom posted his first three-point (2+1=3) game of the season.

San Jose opened the scoring just 2:07 into the first period when Lucas Carlsson (9) went upstairs for his first goal in 14 games. Henderson answered on the power play at 9:29 as Matyas Sapovaliv (8) buried a loose puck in front, sending the teams to the intermission tied 1–1.

The Silver Knights grabbed a 2–1 lead 1:31 into the second when Lukas Cormier (7) slipped one through the five-hole of Laurent Brossoit. Wahlstrom (14) tied the game on the power play at 6:45, tipping in an Igor Chernyshov shot. Ben Hemmerling (12) responded less than a minute later to restore Henderson’s advantage. The Barracuda then erupted. Halttunen (8, 9) scored twice in a span of 1:02 to put San Jose in front before Hemmerling (13) struck again to tie it at 4-4. Quentin Musty (9) netted the eventual game-winner at 17:55, ripping in a one-timer. Wahlstrom (15) added another late in the period, beating Jesper Vikman in the upper-right corner to give the Barracuda a 6–4 lead.

San Jose pulled away in the third as Egor Afanasyev (10) extended the lead at 6:23 on a breakaway. Halttunen (10) completed the hat trick on the power play at 14:45, blasting a one-timer past Vikman.

Brossoit made 28 saves in the win, while Vikman stopped 31 shots for Henderson. San Jose finished 2-for-3 on the power play, and the Silver Knights went 1-for-3.

The Barracuda are back in action on Wednesday in San Diego against the Gulls before returning to Tech CU Arena on Sat., Feb. 21 for Cuda Country Night presented by Bay Country. The game will feature a Cow Bell giveaway to the first 3,000 and the postgame concert will feature Jackson Dean. For more info, go to SJBarracuda.com.