San Jose zaps the Heat

STOCKTON, Calif. – The Stockton Heat hosted the San Jose Barracuda at home for the first time this season, wearing a specialty Calgary Flaming “C’ sweater. San Jose earned the two points in an exciting 6-4 game over the Heat.

Andrew Mangiapane scored the opening goal for the second night in as many games. At 12:14 of the first period, Mangiapane caught a pass in front of the net from Garnet Hathaway and beat Barracuda netminder Troy Grossenick glove side for the goal.

Barracudas’ goalie Troy Grosenick makes a glove save during first period action – Photo by Jack Lima

San Jose’s Daniel O’Regan scored their first goal of the season, when his shot beat Jon GIllies in the net from just in front of the goal. Hathaway evened the score only 10 seconds later, when he caught a pass in the slot and hammered the puck to the back of the net.

Heat foward Garnet Hathaway scores a goal past Barracuda goalie Troy Grosenick late in the first period – Photo by Jack Lima

In the second period, Stockton’s Mark Jankowski scored their third goal of the night, when Rasmus Andersson passed the puck to Mangiapane, who skated towards the net in the center of the ice along side Jankowski. Mangiapane passed it back to Jankowski across the slot, who sent it back to Mangiapane, then immediately back to Jankowski who was set up at the side of the net to tap it in at the two minute mark.

The Stockton Heat’s potential game tying third period goal is disallowed because the net was disloged before the puck crossed the goal line – Photo by Jack Lima

It looked like the Heat lost their momentum when a pass towards the Heat net snuck past Gillies with 8:36 remaining in the period to close the gap to 3-2. Then about two minutes later, Gillies came out of the net in front, over committed and fell to the ice. A Heat skater tried to cover the open net, but Rudolfs Balcers was there to wrist the puck in the net. The two teams remained tied at the second intermission.

Rodolfs Balcers (38) scores a power play goal to tie the score 3-3 in the second period – Photo by Jack Lima

San Jose capitalized on the energy left in the previous period, and at 14:53, Marcus Sorensen beat Gillies five-hole for the go-ahead goal. Stockton’s Joseph Cramarossa scored with 14:17 remaining to tie the game at four goals each.

Barracudas’ defenseman Julius Bergman (63) collides with his own goalie Troy Grosenick during third period action – Photo by Jack Lima

With 6:24 remaining, a breakaway led to a race to the net, and Manual Wiederer scored when his shot beat Gillies stick side unassisted.

With only 1:59 remaining, a scrum in front of the net seemingly could have led to a Stockton goal, but the net was knocked off the posts before the puck crossed the line and was ruled no-goal. Stockton pulled Gillies with 1:40 remaining, but it wasn’t meant to be, a loose puck at 1:08 allowed Adam Helewka to score an empty net goal, and ultimately, San Jose would take home the two points with the 6-4 win over Stockton.