GAME PREVIEW presented by Rodriguez & Associates

The Bakersfield Condors and Henderson Silver Knights embark on a home-and home series to wrap up the 2024-25 regular season. Bakersfield needs at least a point tonight to keep their postseason hopes alive. The Condors are 4-2-0 against the Silver Knights this season.

LOOKING BACK

For the second straight time against the Abbotsford Canucks, the Condors could not secure points after leading 1-0 into the second intermission. Daniel D’Amato (10th) scored 2:21 into the first period, but that was all the offense the Condors could muster in the 2-1 loss on Wednesday.

THE SITUATION

Bakersfield enters the final weekend of the regular season needing to collect three points at minimum. The Condors are two points back of Tucson for the final playoff spot, but do not own the tiebreaker, meaning Bakersfield needs to finish ahead of the Roadrunners. Any Tucson win or Bakersfield regulation loss this weekend and Tucson will secure the final spot.

(Click here for the playoff primer)

HOME FINALE

The Condors look for a winning record at home, entering tonight with a record of 15-14-6 (.514). Finales have been good for Bakersfield, going 8-1-0 in its previous nine AHL home finishers.

HOME COOKING HENDERSON

Bakersfield has dominated the all-time season series with the Knights, especially at home. The Condors are 16-4-0 all-time at home against Henderson and 27-11-2 overall. This season, Bakersfield is 3-0 against Henderson on home ice, scoring 14 goals over the three games.

DOUBLE DIGIT DANIEL

Daniel D’Amato became the eighth Condor to reach double figures in goals with his 10th on Wednesday.

CAPTAIN GETS HONORED

Seth Griffith was named to the AHL Second All-Star Team on Thursday. He is tied for third in the AHL scoring race with 66 points (19g-47a) and is tied for first in assists. He has missed the last four games with injury, but is expected to return to the lineup tonight.

COLLIN’S DEAL

Collin Delia went over 180 minutes between goals allowed, carrying a shutout into the third period on Wednesday. Over his last four appearances, he is 2-1-0 with a 1.12 goals against average and a .962 save percentage.

HAMMER TIME

James Hamblin registered three consecutive multi-point games last week. After a goal and assist in Henderson Wednesday, Hamblin followed that up with a career high four points (2g-2a) on Friday, and two assists on Saturday. He has eight points (3g-5a) over his last four games. He has 44 points (19g-25a) in 49 games, is +21, and leads the team with seven power-play goals.

MAN OF THE YEAR

Hamblin was also named the Condors IOA/American Specialty AHL Man of the Year team winner this week for his work this season on and off the ice. The fifth-year pro was a key part of the team’s Condors Fighting Cancer initiative this season.

REINFORCEMENTS ARRIVED 

Bakersfield inserted six players into the lineup on Wednesday who did not play on Saturday in Coachella Valley. Drake Caggiula and Phil Kemp returned from injury, Connor Carrick and Noah Philp returned from Edmonton, and Matt Copponi and Travis Dermott made their team debuts.

SAVVY SIZZLE 

Matthew Savoie had a four-game assist streak snapped on Wednesday. He is fifth in the league rookie scoring race with 50 points (18g-32a) in 64 games and is second at +19.

TRYING TO KEEP THE STREAK ALIVE

The Condors are the only team to make the postseason every year held since 2019, contesting eight postseason series over five seasons.

HENDERSON FILES

Former Condors winger Raphael Lavoie leads the Silver Knights with 17 goals. Carl Lindbom stopped 30 shots in a 4-0 shutout of San Diego on Wednesday.

UP NEXT

The Condors wrap up the regular season in Henderson tomorrow night at 6 p.m.