Condors Weekly: Condors end season with 3-2 OT loss in Game 4

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Bakersfield, Calif. – After winning the Pacific Division for the second straight season, the Condors fell in their best-of-five first round series to the Victoria Salmon Kings, losing Game 4 3-2 in OT. The Salmon Kings won the series 3 games to 1, and will advance to play the Utah Grizzlies, who defeated Stockton 3 games to 1 in their opening matchup. Both series winners were the lower seeds, as #7 Victoria defeated #2 Bakersfield, and #6 Utah beat #3 Stockton.

 

WEEK IN REVIEW (Home team in CAPS):

Monday, April 4

VICTORIA 3 vs. Condors 1

The Western Conference Quarterfinals opened up in Victoria, and the Salmon Kings took advantage of home ice and a beleaguered Condors team to win 3-1. Victoria fired 24 shots on goal in the first period, setting a Salmon Kings playoff record, but G Brian Stewart Andrew Ianierostopped 23 shots (a Condors record) as the Condors trailed 1-0. After a scoreless second period, Victoria scored twice in the third to rack up a 3-0 lead. A late 5-on-3 for the Condors saw LW Guillaume Lefebvre put the Condors on the board, but it was too little, too late, as Victoria earned the win.

 

Tuesday, April 5

Condors 6 vs. VICTORIA 3

Looking to earn a split to start the series, D Erik Burgdoerfer scored less than two minutes into the game to give Bakersfield a 1-0 lead. Victoria answered with two goals of their own in the first period, and RW Stephane Goulet evened the game at 2-2 with a second period tally. RW Pascal Morency then scored three straight goals with a natural hat trick in the third period to lead Bakersfield to the win.

 

Friday, April 8
Victoria 2 vs. CONDORS 0

Attn: 5,016

F Matt Siddall scored the game-winning goal 11:26 into the first period by banking a shot off the leg of G Brian Stewart, and D Jeff Caister tallied less than four minutes later as the Condors were shutout 2-0. G Jeff Shantz earned the win for the Salmon Kings, turning aside 30 Condors shots.

 

Saturday, April 9

Victoria 3 vs. CONDORS 2, OT

Attn: 4,280

The Condors struck first when RW Stephane Goulet finished off a 2-on-1 rush in the first period to put Bakersfield up 1-0. The lead held, until late in the second period when Victoria tallied a power play goal at 16:40 and even strength goal with 6 seconds left in the period to lead 2-1. Bakersfield forced overtime when D Josh Burrows snuck a wrist shot through traffic, evening the score 2-2 at 12:12. Former Condor LW Chad Painchaud cancelled the Condors plans for a lengthy post-season run, however, when he scored on a rebound off the glass at 4:26 to win the game and the series for the Salmon Kings.

 

PLAYER AND TEAM NOTES:

  • D Erik Burgdoerfer and D Josh Burrows became just the second and third Condors rookie defensemen to score a playoff goal. D Jonas Lennartsson was the only other one to do it, scoring in 2002-03.
  • RW Stephane Goulet became the first Condor to lead the team in scoring in back-to-back seasons since Kevin St. Jacques did it in 2004-05 and 2005-06.
  • The Condors are 2-8 in the first game of a playoff series since their first ECHL playoff series in 2004-05.
  • The Condors have faced Victoria in the opening round in three out of the last four seasons. Victoria won in 2007-08 and this year, while the Condors won last season.
  • The Condors are 7-9 in overtime in the playoffs. They are 1-3 in OT against Victoria in the playoffs.
  • The crowd of 5,016 on Friday is the highest single game crowd so far in the 2011 Kelly Cup Playoffs

 

CONDORS LEAGUE LEADERS (PLAYOFFS):

Condors – 4,648 average attendance (1st, ECHL)

Condors – 9,296 total attendance (1st, ECHL)

Condors – 15.8% power play percentage (4th, ECHL)

RW Pascal Morency – 3 goals (t-1st, ECHL)

RW Bobby Robins – 1 major penalty (t-3rd, ECHL)

D Erik Burgdoerfer – +3 (t-3rd, rookies)Guillaume Lefebvre

D Joey Ryan – 4 minor penalties (5th, defensemen)

 

CONDORS LEADERS (Playoffs):

Points: LW Guillaume Lefebvre, 5

Goals: RW Pascal Morency, 3

Assists: LW Guillaume Lefebvre, 3

PIM: RW Bobby Robins, 11

+/-: D Erik Burgdoerfer, RW Pascal Morency, +3

GAA: G Brian Stewart, 2.73

Save %: G Brian Stewart, .907

Wins: G Brian Stewart, 1

 

GET READY FOR 2011-12:
Ticket plans are on sale now for 2011-12 for as low as $42. The earlier you commit, the better seat location you can secure, and the longer you can spread out your payments. Call the Condors at 324-PUCK (7825) or click here for info. Office hours are Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. For more information visit www.bakersfieldcondors.com.

 

CONDORS OFFICE HOURS:

The Condors office will be open all summer long. Stop in anytime! Office hours are Monday – Friday from 8:30 a.m. until 5 p.m.