The Henderson Silver Knights kept San Jose Barracuda goaltender Zachary Emond (35) busy all day long with 26 saves on 33 shots on fan appreciation day at SAP Center in San Jose on Sun Apr 10, 2022 (photo from the San Jose Barracuda)
by Marko Ukalovic
SAN JOSE — It was Deja vu at the Shark Tank.
The Henderson Silver scored four goals in the first period for a second consecutive game to defeat the San Jose Barracuda 7-3 on Sunday afternoon at SAP Center.
San Jose has lost a franchise worst 10 games in a row with five games remaining in the season. Henderson have won three out of its past four games.
Henderson (29-28-3-1) drew first blood early in the first period. Pavel Dorofeyev sent in Colt Conrad on a mini breakaway. Conrad skated in and beat ‘Cuda goalie Zachary Emond with a backhander for his seventh goal of the season.
San Jose (20-38-3-2) answered back at the 8:04 mark. Joachim Blichfeld found Anthony Bitetto in the slot. Bitetto sniped home a wrist shot past Silver Knight’s goalie Isiah Saville for his first goal in a Barracuda uniform and fifth of the season.
Bitetto, who was acquired at the trade deadline for Nick Merkley by the San Jose Sharks, snapped a 34-game goal less draught.
Henderson regained the lead 40 seconds later when Ben Jones cleaned up a rebound off of a Danil Miromanov shot from the point for his 22nd goal of the season.
The Silver Knights went up 3-1 with a power play goal. Alan Quine beat Emond with a wrist shot in the right slot for his fourth goal of the season at the 10:24 mark.
Henderson scored its third unanswered goal on a three-on-one odd man rush. Dorofeyev scored the first of his two goals as he made a move around Emond and slipped a backhander into an empty net for his 24th goal of the season at the 16:42 mark.
San Jose cut the lead in half with a short-handed early in the second period. Lane Pederson’s shot was initially saved by Saville, but a trailing Santeri Hatakka cleaned up the rebound for his third goal of the season and second in back-to-back games at the 2:12 mark.
Dorofeyev scored his second goal of the content when he was able to get behind the net and beat Emond with a wraparound goal, his 25th of the season at the 8:24 mark.
Blichfeld kept the Barracuda in the game when he scored an even strength goal late in the middle frame. Pederson found Blichfeld inside the face off circles and Danish native blasted a one-timer past Saville for his team leading 24th goal of the season at the 15:51 mark.
Henderson scored two goals in the first three minutes of the third period to put the game away.
Reid Duke took advantage of a giveaway from Bitetto. Reid intercepted Bitetto’s pass right in front of the crease and buried a shot past Emond for his sixth goal of the season at the 2:01 mark.
Quine scored his second goal of the game 56 seconds later when he got in front of a Barracuda defender and his wrist shot beat Emond for his fifth of the season.
Saville finished the game stopping 29 of the 32 shots he faced to earn his second AHL victory. Emond made 26 saves on 33 shots in the hard luck loss and has lost three straight games.
GAME NOTES: San Jose finished 0-for-6 on the power play. Henderson was 1-for-4.
The Three Stars of the Game were: 1) Dorofeyev 2) Conrad 3) Blichfeld
UP NEXT: San Jose plays its final game at the Shark Tank when they host the Bakersfield Condors on Wednesday at 7:00pm at the SAP Center.
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