BARRACUDA CLAWED BY EAGLES, 8-0
Mar 21, 2023
Loveland, CO – The San Jose Barracuda (26-30-1-4) saw an early power play opportunity, but the Colorado Eagles (33-20-5-3) would open the scoring shorthanded and never look back, defeating San Jose at the Budweiser Events Center, 8-0.
In the first, Ryan Wagner (5) would open the scoring 6:35 into the game with the Eagles shorthanded, putting home a rebound into an open net glove side on Aaron Dell. Just over two minutes later, at the 8:39 mark, with a cluster of bodies net front, Riley McCourt (1) would pick up the second of the night for Colorado. At 15:26, Mikhail Maltsev (6) would fire a laser from the faceoff circle to the left of Dell to extend the Colorado lead. Adding a fourth with 31 seconds remaining in the opening frame, David Farrance (3) would slide one around Dell to put the Eagles up 4-0.
The second period would look similar, with the Eagles controlling play, however, Strauss Mann would take over in net for the Barracuda. 4:48 into the second, Charles Hudon (22) would find the back of the net on the power play with a shot from the faceoff circle. It would take 9:27 to see the Barracuda record their first shot in the middle frame, and it would be Colorado that picked up their sixth of the night at 14:28. Maltsev (7) would pick up his second of the night on a 4-on-3 power play, sending one over the glove of Mann. At 16:26, Sampo Ranta (9) would beat Mann short side on a deflection to put the Eagles ahead by seven. With another goal in the final minute of a period, Alex Beaucage (8) would get a bounce off of Barracuda defenseman Darren Brady to beat Mann for Colorado’s eighth of the night.
The bleeding would stop for the Barracuda in the third period, but they would be unable to solve Colorado netminder Keith Kinkaid.
Dell’s night would end after 10 saves on 14 shots while Mann would stop 17 of 21 in relief. Kinkaid would remain perfect with 21 saves, earning his first shutout in an Eagles sweater and an 8-0 victory.
BOX SCORE
The Barracuda wrap up a two-game road trip against the Colorado Eagles on the second night of a back-to-back Wednesday, Mar. 22 with a 6:05 PM PST puck drop.