STOCKTON, Calif. – The Stockton Heat (2-3-1-0) split a pair of games over the weekend with the San Jose Barracuda (5-1-0-1) in a home-away series. In the home game, Saturday evening, the Heat were left behind, when the Barracuda held onto the lead for the 5-2 win. Then, as the Heat traveled to San Jose, they held onto the lead for the 3-2 win. Stockton holds a 2-1 series advantage to date against the Barracuda this season, with many more to come.
Heat fowards Curtis Lazar (20) and Buddy Robinson (10) fight Barracuda’s John McCarthy (17) for puck possession after a face-off – Photo by Jack Lima
Saturday at home, with Jon Gillies in the net for Stockton, Jayden Halbgewachs scored his third goal of the season to give the Barracuda the early lead and the only goal until the third period. The Heat’s Andrew Mangiapane scored his first of the season at 1:42 into the third period to even the score. But the three unanswered goals by San Jose allowed them to get too far ahead.
Heat defencemen Andrew O’Brien (29) and Matt Taormina (17) check Barracuda’s center Filip Sandberg into the boards – Photo by Jack Lima
Jayden Halbgewachs (89) scores past Heat goalie Jon Gillies during Saturday night action at the Stockton Arena – Photo by Jack Lima
Maxim Letunov, Manuel Wiederer and Flip Sandberg each scored for the Barracuda. With only two minutes remaining, Barracuda’s Keaton Middleton was sent to the penalty box for interference. Then, as the clock ran down, the Heat pulled Gillies in favor of the man advantage. Glenn Gawdin found the net on the power play, with only 40 seconds remaining to close the gap at 4-2. But an ultimate empty net goal at 19:53 by Evan Weinger sealed the Heat’s loss in the game.
Jayden Halbgewachs (89) moves the puck up ice betwenn Heat defenders Curtis Lazar (20) and Andrew O’Brien (29) – Photo by Jack Lima
Barracuda’s foward Jeffrey Truchon-Viel (63) tries to control the puck away from Curtis Lazar (20) – Photo by Jack Lima
Alexander True (70) looks for a pass in front of Heat goalie Jon Gillies – Photo by Jack Lima
Barracuda’s Josef Korenar earned the win in the game, with 19 saves. Gillies gets handed the loss, with 34 saves.
In the second game of the series, the teams played at the SAP Center in San Jose. Both teams opted for the rested goalie in the net; Tyler Parsons for the Heat and Antoine Bibeau.
Mangiapane scored his second goal of the season at 13:35 into the first period. Tyler Graovac scored the Heat’s second goal at 15:29, putting the Heat up 2-0 after the first period. Spenser Foo scored a power play goal about midway through the second period, with an assist going to Graovac (his second of the night).
Spencer Foo skates the puck up ice – Photo by Jack Lima
Heat goalie Tyler parsons makes a kick save on a shot by Evan Weinger during second period action Sunday at the SAP Center in San Jose – Photo by Jack Lima
San Jose’s Letunov scored at 14:58 and Halbgewachs scored at 18:49. That would be the end of the Barracuda’s scoring, as the Heat held them off until the final buzzer, despite the extra skater with about a 1:25 remaining.
Parsons earned the win over Bibeau, with 26 saves each.
Heat forward Ryan Lomberg takes a shot on goal – Photo by Jack Lima
Heat forwards Morgan Klimchuk (18) and Ryan Lomberg (41) check Cavan Fitzgerald into the boards – Photo by Jack Lima
Barracuda’s goalie Antoine Bibeau stops a shot by Spencer Foo (15) as Jayden Halbgewachs (89) defends – Photo by Jack Lima
Curtis Lazar takes a shot on Barracuda’s goalie Antoine Bibeau as Jeremy Roy (81) defends – Photo by Jack Lima
Stockton gets a chance to rest before heading to San Diego on Friday, October 26. The Barracuda will head to San Antonio to begin a four game road-trip before ending in Stockton on Monday, November 5.
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