Barracuda Outlast Roadrunners in OT Thriller Behind Afanasyev’s Winner
TUCSON, Ariz. - The San Jose Barracuda showed some serious resolve Saturday night, clawing their way to a 4-3 overtime win over the Tucson Roadrunners in a back-and-forth battle at Tucson Convention Center Arena. It was a gutsy response in the second leg of the weekend series, capped by Egor Afanasyev’s clutch power-play strike in overtime - a goal that not only sealed the win but also pushed San Jose to an impressive 6-1 record in OT games this season.
Let’s talk about that game-winner. With the extra frame winding down and Tucson tagged for too many men, San Jose wasted no time.
Afanasyev stepped into a prime shooting lane and let it rip at 4:31 of overtime, burying the puck and sending the bench into celebration. That’s the kind of execution you want to see from your power-play unit in crunch time - poised, patient, and lethal.
But this game was anything but straightforward.
Tucson struck first, making good on a first-period power play. Noel Nordh found twine at 12:21, beating Laurent Brossoit to give the Roadrunners a 1-0 edge heading into the intermission. Credit to Tucson - they came out sharp and opportunistic.
San Jose wasted no time responding. Just 21 seconds into the second period, Filip Bystedt lit the lamp with a bar-down beauty from the left wing on the man advantage. That’s goal number 11 for Bystedt, who continues to show off a sniper’s touch from the perimeter.
Tucson answered right back, though. Maveric Lamoureux restored the lead at 2:10 with a point shot that had eyes, threading its way through traffic and past Brossoit.
It was the kind of goal that leaves everyone guessing - did it get tipped? Was there a screen?
Either way, it counted, and the Roadrunners were back on top.
The third period belonged to San Jose - at least for a stretch. Colin White tied it up at 7:49, cashing in on a rebound in tight.
Then, just under four minutes later, Jimmy Huntington gave the Barracuda their first lead of the night, getting a piece of a Luca Cagnoni shot for his sixth of the season. That’s the kind of net-front presence that wins games.
But Tucson wasn’t done. Dmitri Simashev answered just over a minute later, knotting things up at 12:55 and forcing overtime. It was a fitting end to regulation in a game that saw momentum swing like a pendulum.
In the extra session, San Jose tilted the ice. They controlled possession, dictated pace, and when the Roadrunners were caught with too many skaters, the Barracuda didn’t blink. Afanasyev’s finish was the exclamation point on a night where San Jose showed off its depth and resilience.
Laurent Brossoit, making his Barracuda debut, stopped 19 of 22 shots to earn the win. It wasn’t a heavy workload, but he made the timely saves San Jose needed. On the other side, Jaxson Stauber was busy - and sharp - turning aside 36 shots to keep Tucson in it.
Luca Cagnoni and Lucas Carlsson each notched two assists, while Huntington finished with a goal and a helper, continuing to be a steady contributor in all zones.
This one had a bit of everything - special teams goals, lead changes, late drama, and a big-time finish. For San Jose, it’s another notch in the win column and another reminder that when the game goes past 60 minutes, they know how to close the deal.