Condors comeback to win OT thriller 4-3

Condors comeback to win OT thriller 4-3
Condors hit the road for 4 straight before returning home on Jan. 7

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – F Andrew Ianiero’s overtime goal completed a third period rally as the Bakersfield Condors (14-13-1-0, 29pts) earned a 4-3 overtime victory over the Stockton Thunder (12-9-2-3, 29pts) in front of 5,338 fans at Rabobank Arena on Monday Night. The win moves the Condors into a tie for second in the Pacific Division with Stockton.

The Condors and Thunder combined to double the scoring output of last night’s game 1-0 game in the first period alone. Stockton got on the board first when LW Bretton Cameron banged home a rebound to put the Thunder up 1-0. RW Stephane Goulet struck back at the 9:19 mark to even the score at one apiece. The two teams took the 1-1 score into the first intermission.

The Thunder regained the lead when LW Jesse Gimblett slid a shot through the five-hole of G Josh Tordjman at 4:09 of the second. The Thunder stretched the lead to 3-1 with a 4-on-3 goal at 13:12. Stockton held off a late flurry of chances by the Condors at the end of the second period to maintain the 3-1 lead. Tempers flared when F Bobby Robins dropped the mitts with Gimblett midway through the period.

Bakersfield started the comeback effort when LW J.D. Corbin forced a loose puck in the neutral zone, raced into the offensive end, and beat G Garrett Zemlak to bring the score back to 3-2. F Slava Trukhno picked up the game tying goal on a 5-on-3 advantage after LW Brad Snetsinger threaded the needle for a perfect back door pass with just 2:42 left in regulation.

Ianiero netted the game-winner just 47 seconds into overtime, after Snetsinger threw a pass of Zemlak’s stick. The puck ricocheted off the leg of Ianiero and into the net to give the Condors the victory.

Click here to see the box score.

Notes:

LW Brad Snetsinger has picked up 3 assists in his first two games with Bakersfield, including two assists on game-winning goals and one on a game-tying goal… F Michael Gergen made his Condors debut after signing with the team before the game… LW J.D. Corbin scored his first goal as a Condor. It was also his first goal since Dec. 10, 2008. Corbin sat out all of last season recovering from injury… G Josh Tordjman picked up his sixth straight victory… Power plays: BAK: 1/6, STK: 1/4… Three Stars: 1. A. Ianiero (BAK); 2. J. Corbin (BAK); 3. S. Goulet (BAK).

Get Tickets

The Condors return to home ice on Friday, January 7, when Takeru Kobayashi will be in the house for a hot dog eating contest and $1 hot dogs, courtesy of ABC23 and KERN 1180. See world-renowned Hot Dog Eating Champion Takeru Kobayashi take on locals in a Hot Dog Eating Contest at the intermission.

Individual tickets are on sale now through Ticketmaster and the Rabobank Arena Box Office. Box Office hours are 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Monday – Friday, and 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. on Saturday, with extended hours on game and event days. You can also call Ticketmaster at 1-800-745-3000 or visit them online at www.ticketmaster.com. Ticket packages start at just $31.

Tickets for the 2011 ECHL All-Star Classic, to be held in Bakersfield on Jan. 26, 2011, are on sale now. Mini plans are available as well; visit www.echlallstarclassic.com for further details on the event. Call the Condors office at 324-PUCK(7825) or go online to www.bakersfieldcondors.com for more information.