Condors Captain Burgdoerfer wills the team to 4-3 shootout victory

CONDORSTOWN, Calif. – In as entertaining a hockey game as you will find, the Bakersfield Condors (21-40-2-3, 47pts), on the strength of a big night from their captain, willed themselves to a 4-3 shootout win over the Utah Grizzlies (25-29-4-7, 60pts) on Friday night at Rabobank Arena.  The Condors now sit six points back of San Francisco for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

Highlights from the night

Post-game comments from O’Dette and Burgdoerfer

Things got off to a physical start as Condors F Brett Lyon and Grizzlies F David Eddy dropped the mitts off the opening faceoff in an entertaining bout. It gave the Condors a boost as D Erik Burgdoerfer rifled home his third of the season at the 9:06 mark off a great feed from RW Scott Freeman, and the Condors took a 1-0 lead. G Brian Stewart made it hold up, denying 14 Utah shot attempts as Bakersfield carried the 1-0 lead with them into the first intermission.

The second period belonged to the Grizzlies as they potted two goals. First, F Tommy Maxwell scored his third goal in four games, streaking down the left wing and beating Stewart to tie it up at 1-1 at the 4:57 mark. Then, with the Condors shorthanded five-on-three, D Nick Tuzzolino’s fanned shot attempt knuckled past Stewart at 14:36 to put Utah in front 2-1 after two periods of play. The Grizzlies out-shot Bakersfield, 11-9.

In the third frame, the Condors fired off two of their own to take a 3-2 lead. First, Burgdoerfer poked home a loose puck just 47 seconds into the period to tie the game at 2-2 on the power play. Then, after a net-mouth scramble, F Nick Prockow stuffed home his second of the year at 7:54 to give the Condors the 3-2 advantage. It would not last though as F Berkley Scott made an impressive move down the left-wing to beat Stewart at 12:16 to make it 3-3. It stayed that way as the teams headed for overtime.

In overtime, both teams registered three shots, but were held without a winner. For the second game in a row, the shootout proved suspenseful. After four scoreless rounds, F David Eddy put the Grizzlies in front 1-0. With their backs against the walls, the Condors looked to the man of the night and he delivered. Burgdoerfer shifted around Meisner and put it home to force sudden death. In the sixth round, Stewart denied Clendenning which set up D Deron Cousens to provide the heroics with the game-winner.

Tonight’s box score: click here.