GAME PREVIEW: Condors v Stockton
CONDORSTOWN, Calif. – The Bakersfield Condors open the 2018-19 season at home tonight with $2 beers through the end of the first intermission. It is all part of “Turning 21 – Opening Weekend” as the Condors host Stockton tonight at 7 p.m. on Dignity Health Home Ice at Rabobank Arena. Saturday night, the Condors host San Jose with adult replica jerseys available for $21. Great seats start at just $12 and are available by clicking here.
PROMOTION DETAILS: Enjoy $2, 16 oz. cans of Tioga-Sequoia Half Dome, Golden Ale, and Zorro Especial through the end of the first intermission, available at all purchase locations. Tonight’s game is presented by Tioga-Sequoia Brewing Company, Eyewitness News, and ALT 106.1 KRAB Radio. Please allow extra time on arrival for as Rabobank Arena now uses metal detectors at all entrances for the safety of fans.
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BAKERSFIELD MARRIOTT POST-GAME AUTOGRAPH BOOTH: D Jeremy Beaudry and C Nolan Vesey
TONIGHT
The Bakersfield Condors open the 2018-19 at home against the Stockton Heat. It is the first of 10 total meetings on the season between the two sides. All-time, the Condors are 12-7-1 in home openers and are 2-1-0 in AHL home openers, including a 5-4 win over San Antonio last season.
WOODCROFT TAKES OVER AS HEAD COACH
Tonight’s game is the head coaching debut for Condors Head Coach Jay Woodcroft. The 42-year old has spent the past 13 seasons in the NHL as an assistant and video coach with Detroit, San Jose, and most recently Edmonton for the past three seasons. He has been a part of a Stanley Cup Championship, five Western Conference Championships, six Pacific Division titles, and three Presidents’ Trophies.
LEADING SCORER RETURNS TO CONDORSTOWN
Last season’s leading scorer, Josh Currie, is back in Bakersfield after signing a two-year NHL contract with Edmonton during the offseason. Currie had 46 points (20g-26a) in 68 games to lead the team. In the Condors AHL era, Currie is first in goals with 52 and game-winning goals with nine. He is second in games played, assists, points, power-play goals, and penalty minutes. Only six players have appeared in more games in a Condors sweater across all leagues.
MONTOYA BRINGS VETERAN PRESENCE BETWEEN THE PIPES
33-year old Al Montoya was assigned to Bakersfield earlier in the week and brings 168 games of NHL experience with him. In his NHL career, the Chicago, Illinois native is 67-49-24 with a 2.65 goals-against average. He last appeared in the AHL in 2010-11 with San Antonio. Over his AHL tenue, he has compiled a 96-72-7 record with a 2.68 GAA. He was named to the 2006 AHL All-Star Classic and was the first goaltender taken (6th overall) in the 2004 NHL Draft.
CONDORS ROSTER BREAKDOWN
The Condors have 25 players on the Opening Night roster (2 G, 15 F, 8 D). There are seven rookies on the team (including Dylan Wells though goaltenders do not count towards status). The team also features four veterans plus netminder Al Montoya. 12 players hail from the United States, 11 players are Canadian, one is from Denmark, and one is a Sweden native.
CONDORS NOTES
LW Tyler Benson was drafted in the 2nd round (#32 overall) of the 2016 NHL draft by Edmonton…C Cooper Marody made his pro debut with the Condors last season and had three points (1g-2a) in three games… A newcomer on the blue line in the Oilers organization, D Kevin Gravel played over 200 games in the Los Angeles Kings organization. The Kingsford, Mich. native also represented Team USA at the 2012 World Junior Championships.
HEAT NOTES
Goaltender Jon Gillies was 17-16-5 with four shutouts in 39 games with Stockton last season… The Heat return last season’s leading scorer C Andrew Mangiapane who had 46 points (21g-25a) in 39 games… Their top scoring d-man is also back in Rasmus Andersson who notched 39 points (9g-30a) in 56 games…The Heat have a new head coach as well as Cail MacLean took over from Ryan Huska, who joined Calgary as an assistant coach.
TRANSACTIONS
10/4 – D Jeremy Beaudry signed to a PTO
10/1 – C Luke Esposito signed to an AHL contract
