BARRACUDA EXTEND POINT STREAK TO FOUR IN OT LOSS
Dec 18, 2016
San Jose, CA - The San Jose Barracuda (11-6-1-3) put 43 shots on net, but lost in heartbreaking fashion to the Ontario Reign (13-6-5-0), 4-3, in overtime on Sunday at SAP Center.
In the loss, San Jose extended its point streak to a season-long four games.
Teddy Purcell (3) powered his way to the paint at 6:32 of the opening frame and snapped Troy Grosenick's shutout streak at 248 minutes and eights seconds to give Ontario a 1-0 lead, but the Barracuda rebounded on the power play. Joakim Ryan (3) tied the game at 9:47 with a seeing-eye wrist shot from the point past Jack Campbell and then Adam Helewka (5) gave San Jose its first lead and made it 2-for-2 on the man-advantage after redirecting a Tim Heed pass from the point at 9:47.
The Reign evened the score in the second as Adrian Kempe (5) went five-hole from the slot after collecting a rebound at 5:25. San Jose recaptured its lead at 16:19 on the power play after Vincent LoVerde received a game-misconduct for a kneeing penalty on Nikolay Goldobin at 15:15. Goldobin would return in the third and Helewka (6) potted his second of the game at 16:19 of the second on the five-minute major penalty.
In the final frame, down by a goal veteran forward Brett Sutter (5) found the equalizer and forced overtime as he ripped a shot past Grosenick from between the hashes at 16:46.
In OT, San Jose took a too many men penalty, and Michael Mersch snapped the Barracuda's penalty kill streak at 29 with an overtime winner from the slot at 1:07.
Grosenick (6-5-2) suffered the loss after allowing four goals on 33 shots and Campbell (10-3-2) collected the victory by making 40 saves on 43 shots.
Three Stars:
1. Michael Mersch (ONT)
2. Adam Helewka (SJ)
3. Tim Heed (SJ)
BOX SCORE
The San Jose Barracuda continue their seven-game home stand with a Tuesday afternoon tilt against the first-place Stockton Heat at 1:15 p.m. Tickets are still available and can be purchased at SJBarracuda.com/tickets or by calling 408.999.5757.