Click here to see this weekend’s commercial

You will want to get to the rink early on Friday as the Condors willgiveaway 2,000 Hans Benson “Bobblefist” dolls to the first 2,000 fans, 5 and older. The replica features the Condors enforcer and alternate captain in uniform with his head and fists bobbling! As we all know, Hans’ gloves have a tendency to come off and his doll is itching to get the gloves off as well! It’s perfect to have on the kids bookshelves or as a funny desk decoration in your office. The game is sponsored by 29 Eyewitness News and the Three-Way Automotive Group.

Click here to hear Hans talk about his special night

On Saturday, the first 2,000 fans, 5 and older, will receive a Palm Tree seedling sponsored by Bright House Networks, KERN 1180 AM, and Cal Water. Turn your backyard into a tropical oasis with your very own palm tree.

The fun does not stop there as Bugs Bunny will make his first-ever appearance in Condorstown to meet and greet fans. The “wascallyrabbit” and star of Looney Tunes will be available in the Condors photo booth for pictures throughout the game.

Bright House Networks subscribers can receive $7 terrace level admission for the family by presenting their cable bill at the box office.

The Condors will also recognize students who achieved outstanding attendance levels withcomplimentary tickets to the game as part of the ABC23, SC Architect, and Kern County Firefighters Condors Classroom Champions program.

Stop by The Bakersfield Marriott Autograph Booth at the north end of the concourse after the games to get your favorite player’s autograph. On Friday, F Hans Benson and D Alain Goulet will sign and you’ll be able to get that bobblefist doll autographed as well! On Saturday, LW Evan Trupp and D Erik Burgdoerfer will sign for fans.

Saturday’s game will be televised on Bright House Networks digital channel 10 and will be replayed on Bakersfield On Demand, channel 300.

The games will be broadcast live in their entirety on Fox Sports 970 AM, and also available online at www.foxsports970am.com. In addition, anyone with a smartphone can download the iheartradio app and tune into the action from anywhere. Saturday’s action is also the Condors Game of the Week on Fox Sports Radio 610in Lancaster. The game will be streamed online through the exclusive pay-per-view video provider of the ECHL,www.americaone.com.

Spending Sunday in Stockton: The Condors weekend does not end on home ice as they will travel to take on the Thunder in Stockton on Sunday at 4 p.m. Ryan Holt will have the call, beginning with Condors Countdown at 3:45 p.m. on Fox Sports 970 AM,www.foxsports970am.com, and the iheartradio app. The game will be streamed online through the exclusive pay-per-view video provider of the ECHL, www.americaone.com.

Tickets ‘N’ Grub: Great Hockey and Food, cheap!

The Tickets ’n’ Grub combo deal is perfect for any Condors game. The offer includes 2 terrace level tickets, 2 sodas, 2 hot dogs, and 1 souvenir program all for just $25! That’s a $39.50 value. Don’t miss out on this great deal that has everyone in Condorstown buzzing. For more information, click here.

Great Tickets Available!

Individual tickets are on sale through Ticketmaster and the Rabobank Arena box office by calling 1-800-745-3000. Box office hours are 10-6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10-4 p.m. on Saturday with extended hours on game days.  For more information on ticket packages, exciting promotions, and to sign up for the Kids Club for just $10, visit the online home of the Condors, www.bakersfieldcondors.com.

Follow the Condors all season long, for team news, player moves, promotions, and more on Twitter (@Condors) and Facebook (facebook.com/BakersfieldCondors). Be the first to know!

Baby Cal will kick off a fundraiser at Endeavor Elementary, located at 9300 Meacham Rd, from 8-9 a.m. Cal will get the students excited about coming to a Condors game and selling tickets to help benefit their school.

The always anticipated “Tip A Condor” event will be held at Hooters, located at 4208 Rosedale Highway Suite 100 from 5-8 p.m. Don’t miss out on this great chance to interact with the players as they serve your food. There will also be plenty of items available in a live auction, emcee’d by ABC23′s Mike Hart, and fun had by all! Items up for bid include custom Condors posters, a 2011 signed Stanley Cup Champion Boston Bruins autographed stick, a signed Anaheim Ducks Ryan Getzlaf jersey, and many more! The event benefits Shriners Hospital for Children. Tickets are on sale now for $25, include your choice of dinner options, and are extremely limited. They can be purchased at the Condors front office, Hooters, or the Kern County Shrine Club. Get yours today by calling 324-PUCK (7825). The Condors have raised over $130,000 in the event’s history.

Wed. February 22nd:
Baby Cal will attend the Fight for Air Walk kickoff luncheon held from 12-1:30 p.m. at the Four Points by Sheraton hotel. The hotel is located at 5101 California Ave. and Cal will entertain guests.

Condors defenseman Keith Wynn will head to Haven Drive Middle School, located at 341 Haven Drive in Arvin, from 12-1 p.m. as part of the Condors Classroom of the Month. This month, Keith will recognize Ms. Schmidt and her class for their tremendous achievements. He will speak as well about the importance of staying in school and working hard.

Fri. February 24th:
Condors broadcaster Kevin Bartl will  be a guest on the Scott Cox Show at 4:00 p.m. on KERN Radio 1180 AM. He’ll have all the scoop on what’s going on in Condorstown and will probably chat about becoming a national figure over the weekend.

The Condors host the rival Stockton Thunder at 7 p.m. and the first 2,000 fans 5 and older will get a Bobblehead of Condors enforcer Hans Benson - and his fists bobble as well! Sponsored by KBAK Eyewitness News and Three-Way Automotive Group. Doors open at 5:30 p.m.
Sat. February 25th:
Colonel Claw’d will attend Bike Bakersfield at Yokuts Park off of Truxtun Ave. from 10-11 a.m. Colonel will cheer the kids on and may even take a spin or two on the bike.

Bakersfield and Stockton meet once again in Condorstown and the first 2,000 fans 5 and older will get a palm tree seedling to take home, stick in the ground and turn your abode tropical! In addition, Bugs Bunny will be in the house to meet the kids and hang out in the Condors Photo Booth, sponsored by Bright House Networks, KERN 1180 and Cal Water.

Sun. February 26th:
The Condors hit the road to take on the Thunder in Stockton at 4 p.m. Ryan Holt has the call, beginning with Condors Countdown at 3:45 p.m. on Fox Sports Radio 970, www.foxsports970am.com, the iheartradio app, and through the official pay-per-view video provider of the ECHL, www.americaone.com.

LADIES NIGHT IN MARCH
Another highlight to the Condors calendar has been set as well with ”Ladies Night” to be held on Monday, March 12. Time TBD. It’s a special event for the Condors women only as they get special tours of the rink, instruction from the players and coaches, and have an opportunity to ask the team plenty of questions! If you’re looking to learn more about the game and the team, this is definitely the event for you. For more information on this event, call 324-PUCK (7825).

Be on the Lookout for Bakersfield Life Magazine:
Condors D Tyson Gimblett will appear in the March edition of Bakersfield Life magazine as a Sizzlin’ Single! For more information, click here.

Get Tickets:
Pick-4 Plans are the perfect plans for the Condors fan on the run. Choose four games that fit around your schedule. Plans start at just $32. For more information or to reserve your tickets call 324-PUCK (7825) today.

Individual tickets are on sale through Ticketmaster and the Rabobank Arena box office by calling 1-800-745-3000. Box office hours are 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday thru Friday and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Saturdays with extended hours on game days.  For more information on ticket packages, exciting promotions, and to sign up for the Kids Club for just $10, visit the online home of the Condors,www.bakersfieldcondors.com.

THIS WEEK (ALL TIMES PACIFIC):
Friday, Feb. 24 vs. Stockton (7 p.m.)
Saturday, Feb. 25 vs. Stockton (7 p.m.)
Sunday, Feb. 26 at Stockton (4 p.m.)

WEEK IN REVIEW (Home team in CAPS):
Friday, Feb. 17
Condors 4 vs. ALASKA 1
G Matt Keetley surrendered a goal on the first Alaska shot of the night, just 36 seconds into the contest. He shut the door the rest of the game, however, and the Condors lit the lamp three times in the second period to cruise to a 4-1 win. Keetley ended the night with 49 saves, and F Kyle Calder and F Tyler Helfrich both had 1g-1a and F Parker Stanfield ran his point streak to six games.

• Rookie F Parker Stanfield (pictured) ran his point streak to seven games (4g-7a-11pts during the streak). He had just two points in his first 16 professional games, and 13 points in his last 12 games since.  His scoring streak is the longest of the season for the Condors.
• F Tyler Helfrich and F Robby Dee both got on the scoresheet Friday night, passing RW Scott Freeman for the team lead in points. It’s the first time since Oct. 15 that Freeman was not at least tied for the team’s scoring lead.
• F Evan Trupp followed up his ECHL Player of the Week performance with a goal in all three games last weekend. He ended up with four goals in the three games.
• The Condors surrendered just five goals in their four-game winning streak, and outscored their opponents 14-5.
• G Matt Keetley came one save shy of matching his team season-high on Friday, turning aside 49 shots. It was the fifth time this season he has made 40+ saves in a game.
• Aces LW Ethan Cox was denied on a penalty shot Saturday night by G Bryan Pitton. Condors goalies are 3-for-3 in shopping penalty shot attempts this season, and Pitton is 2-for-2.
• The two teams with the most fighting majors meet this weekend, when Stockton comes to town. The Thunder lead the ECHL with 67 major penalties and the Condors are second with 66.

UPCOMING SCHEDULE: (subject to change.)

All practices are at Rabobank Arena unless otherwise indicated

Monday, Feb. 20 – OFF (Travel home from Alaska)

Tuesday, Feb. 21 – Practice TBA

5-8pm Tip-A-Condor (Hooters)

Wednesday, Feb. 22 – 10 a.m. practice

Thursday, Feb. 23 – 10 a.m. practice

6 – 7 p.m. Condors Insider (FSR 970AM)

Friday, Feb. 24 – 10 a.m. practice

7 p.m. vs. Stockton Thunder

Saturday, Feb. 25 – 10 a.m. practice

7 p.m. vs. Stockton Thunder

Sunday, Feb. 26 – 4 p.m. at Stockton Thunder

Monday, Feb. 27 – OFF

Bobble-fists, Bugs Bunny & Palm Trees coming up

CONDORS LEAGUE LEADERS:

Team Stats

22.45 PIM/Game – 2nd

66 major penalties – 2nd

10 shorthanded goals – t-1st

Individual league leaders

F Tyler Helfrich – 34 points (8th, rookies) 

RW Scott Freeman – 4 shorthanded goals (2nd; 1st, rookies)

LW Hans Benson – 14 major penalties (t-3rd)

F Robby Dee – 16 goals (t-4th, rookies)

RW Scott Freeman – 4 game winning goals (t-1st, rookies)

F Robby Dee – 4 shorthanded goals (t-2nd; 1st, rookies)

D Tyson Gimblett – 139 PIM (1st, rookies)

CONDORS LEADERS:

Points: F Tyler Helfrich, 34

Goals: F Robby Dee, 16

Assists: F Tyler Helfrich, 22

PIM: D Tyson Gimblett, 139

+/-: D Josh Van Dyk/F Evan Trupp/F Chris Kushneriuk, +5

GAA: G Matt Keetley, 2.97

Save %: G Matt Keetley, .912

Wins: G Matt Keetley, 10

GET TICKETS:

Individual tickets are on sale through Ticketmaster and the Rabobank Arena box office by calling 1-800-745-3000. The box office is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. And 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, with extended hours on game days. For more information on ticket packages, exciting promotions, and to sign up for the Kids Club for just $10, visit the online home of the Condors, www.bakersfieldcondors.com.

Follow the Condors all season long, for team news, player moves, promotions, and more on Twitter (@Condors) and Facebook (facebook.com/BakersfieldCondors). Be the first to know!

Comments: we need to talk to some of Evan’s college teamates about coming west. GO SIOUX

Reply: Nice. Go Sioux!

-The Mailbag Guy

Comments: is it true the condors still have a chance at making the playoffs? if so how is that possible?

Reply: Of course it’s true! There is plenty of hockey left to play. Not sure if you’re being sarcastic or not, RB, but I’ll break it down for you. Playoff qualification is all about the math.

There’s so much hockey left to be played that technically… and I mean mathematically speaking… the Condors could still win the Pacific Division. Bakersfield has 21 games left, after thumping the Aces Friday night. With two points in the standings to be gained with each victory, that means the Condors could theoretically gain 42 more points in the standings. They have 33 right now, so that means the most points they can finish with is 75 points.

Since the Aces, who are in first place in the Western Conference, have 73 points right now, even they haven’t mathematically clinched a playoff spot. Because if they lost every single game the rest of the season, and the Condors won all of theirs, Bakersfield would pass them in the standings. While that’s unrealistic, obviously, it is still mathematically possible.

More realistically, the Utah Grizzlies are directly in front of Bakersfield and they have 49 points, and their 16-point lead could be whittled away over the last month and a half. So even the 7th place team has quite a way to go to effectively eliminate the Condors from the playoffs. Also consider that the Condors will host the Grizzlies five times still this season. That’s 10 points on the line right there, out of the 16 they need to catch them.

-The Mailbag Guy

The proceedings did not start the way the Condors wanted as Alaska hopped out to a 1-0 lead just 36 seconds into the first period when F Chris Langkow scored his first goal of the season in his return to the Aces lineup. Bakersfield had multiple chances to tie the game later in the period, including a two-on-none breakaway involving C Robby Dee and RW Tyler Helfrich, but could not convert. Keetley would go on to stop the next 16 Aces shots as the teams skated to the intermission with the Aces ahead 1-0. The Condors were outshot, 17-8.