Cardiac Condors on to Western Conf. Finals
STOCKTON, Calif. – The Bakersfield Condors, owned by the Edmonton Oilers, erased a three-goal deficit with four minutes remaining in the second period, and closed out the Stockton Thunder, 5-3, in Game 5 of the Western Conference Semifinals on Saturday night at Stockton Arena.
C Ryan Watson recorded a natural hat trick in the third period to send Bakersfield through to the Western Conference Finals against Alaska. (full schedule below).
1st Period
- Thunder goal: D Marc Cantin shot from the left point, through traffic, opened the scoring. Time of goal: 8:53;Stockton leads, 1-0
- Shots: BAK – 9 | STK – 9
2nd Period
- Thunder goal: F Matt Bergland, shorthanded, after a turnover behind the Condors net. Time of goal: 7:49;
Stockton leads, 2-0 - Thunder goal: F Alan Quine finished off an odd-man rush. Time of goal: 13:30; Stockton leads, 3-0
- CONDORS goal: C Joel Broda (6th) tipped home a pass on a two-on-one breakout. Assist: Knackstedt; Time of goal: 16:47;Stockton leads, 3-1
- CONDORS goal: LW Chase Schaber (2nd) with a shot from the left-wing circle. Time of goal: 18:02; Stockton leads, 3-2
- Shots: BAK – 13 | STK – 8
3rd Period
- CONDORS goal: C Ryan Watson (2nd) deflected a shot-pass around G Brian Foster. Assists: Cunningham, Broda; Time of goal: 4:37; Game tied, 3-3
- CONDORS goal: Watson (3rd) with his second of the night wheeling a shot from the left-wing circle off Foster and in. Assist: Knackstedt; Time of goal: 6:46; Condors lead, 4-3
- CONDORS goal: Watson (4th) with an empty-net goal for the natural hat trick. Unassisted; Time of goal: 19:29;Condors win, 5-3
- Shots: BAK – 15 | STK – 3
W: Brossoit (8-2; 20/17)
L: Foster (5-4; 36/31)
Condors droppings:
- Three Stars: 1. Watson (BAK) 2. Broda (BAK) 3. Knackstedt (BAK)
- Final shots: BAK – 36 | STK – 20
- Power plays: BAK – 0/1 | STK – 0/1
- The Condors advance to the Western Conference Finals for the first time in team history
- Ryan Watson’s hat trick was the 6th in Condors postseason play
- C Joel Broda has points in three straight games (3g-2a)
- G Laurent Brossoit leads all ECHL netminders with eight playoff wins.
- It is the fifth time in nine games (4th when trailing) that the Condors have been tied or trailing entering the third period and won in the playoffs this season
- Scratches: Collins, Joe, Gawryletz, Bennett, Holmberg
WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS
Condors (#6) vs. Alaska Aces (#1) – all times Pacific
G1 – Fri, 5/16, at Alaska (8:15 p.m.)
G2 – Sat, 5/17, at Alaska (8:15 p.m.)
G3 – Fri, 5/23, in Bakersfield (7 p.m.)
G4 – Sat, 5/24, in Bakersfield (7 p.m.)
G5 – Sun, 5/25, in Bakersfield (TBD)
G6 – Tues, 5/27, at Alaska (8:15 p.m.)
G7 – Wed, 5/28, at Alaska (8:15 p.m.)
WESTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS
Condors (#6) def, Stockton Thunder (#7) (4 games – to – 1)
G1 – Fri, 5/2 – W, BAK 3 vs. STK 2
G2 – Sat, 5/3 – W, BAK 2 vs. STK 0G3 – BAK @ STK, Wed, 5/7 – L, STK 6 vs. BAK 2
G4 – BAK @ STK, Fri, 5/9, W, BAK 2 at STK 1
G5 – BAK @ STK, Sat, 5/10, W, BAK 5 at STK 3
WESTERN CONFERENCE QUARTERFINALS
Condors (#6) def. Utah Grizzlies (#3), 4-games-to-1
G1 – BAK @ UTA, Fri, 4/18 – W, 1-0
G2 – BAK @ UTA – Sat, 4/19 – L, 2-1
G3 – UTA @ BAK – Tues, 4/22 – W, 4-3
G4 – UTA @ BAK – Thurs, 4/24 – W, 3-2
G5 – UTA @ BAK – Fri, 4/25 – W, 5-0
G2 – BAK @ UTA – Sat, 4/19 – L, 2-1
G3 – UTA @ BAK – Tues, 4/22 – W, 4-3
G4 – UTA @ BAK – Thurs, 4/24 – W, 3-2
G5 – UTA @ BAK – Fri, 4/25 – W, 5-0
Tune In:
- All games, home and away, can be heard on Fox Sports Radio 970 AM (www.foxsports970am.com), through your mobile device on iHeartRadio, or pay-per-view online at www.AmericaOneSports.com. “Condors Countdown” starts 15 minutes prior to the drop of the puck.
- “Condors Unleashed” weekly live webcast produced by the Bakersfield Californian will not air next week due to team travel. The show regularly can be seen onwww.Bakersfield.com Wednesdays from Noon – 1 p.m.
- “Condors Insider” weekly radio show, live Thursday from 4 – 5 p.m. on Fox Sports Radio 970.
