ONTARIO, Calif. — Egor Afanasyev scored twice, including the shootout game-winner, as the San Jose Barracuda (16-9-1-0) defeated the Ontario Reign (16-8-1-1), 4–3, in a shootout on Saturday night at Toyota Arena.
The Barracuda opened the scoring early in the first period when Afanasyev (3) beat Isaiah Saville four seconds after San Jose’s power play expired. Ontario answered with a goal from Martin Chromiak (11) at 8:36. After Ontario’s Cole Guttman was assessed a match penalty for an illegal check to the head, the Reign took their first lead on an Andre Lee (10) shorthanded goal at 16:55. Just 35 seconds later, Afanasyev (4) struck again on the man advantage at 17:30 to tie the game, 2–2, after one.
Following a scoreless second period, Oliver Wahlstrom (8) gave San Jose a 3–2 lead midway through the third with a power-play goal, snapping a shot past a screened Saville. With time winding down, Ontario forced overtime when Lee (11) put home a rebound with the net empty.
In overtime, Ontario outshot the Barracuda 6–0 but could not solve Jakub Škarek, sending the game to a shootout. Wahlstrom and Afanasyev converted for San Jose, while Škarek stopped two of three Ontario attempts to secure the win.
Jakub Škarek finished with 28 saves and improved to 10 wins on the season through 13 games.
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