Condors Weekly: Four-game homestand wraps up Tuesday

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – The Bakersfield Condors suffered through a four-game week, picking up one win and falling a couple victories off pace in the Pacific Division. The Condors have a record of 5-8-1-0 with 11 points, six points behind Las Vegas for the division lead.

THIS WEEK (ALL TIMES PACIFIC):
Tuesday, Nov. 15 vs. Stockton (10:30 a.m.)
Friday, Nov. 18 @ Colorado (6:05 p.m.)
Saturday, Nov. 19 @ Colorado (6:05 p.m.)

WEEK IN REVIEW (Home team in CAPS):
Tuesday, Nov. 8
ONTARIO 4 vs. Condors 1
Ontario scored twice in the second and twice in the third and cruised to a 4-1 win over the visiting Condors. RW Scott Freeman picked up his eighth goal of the season 12 minutes into the final stanza, but it represented all the offense Bakersfield could muster against G Darcy Kuemper, who made 22 saves on the night. G Matt Keetley suffered the loss for the Condors, stopping 30 shots on the night.

Thursday, Nov. 10
CONDORS 4 vs. Idaho 3, OT
Attn: 3,443
Bakersfield erased a three-goal deficit and D Jimmy Martin scored twice – including the overtime game-winner – as the Condors won 4-3. RW Scott Freeman scored 1:09 into the second period to start the rally. Martin (left) scored late in the second period and D Alain Goulet tallied shorthanded with 44 seconds left in regulation to tie the game and force OT. Martin picked up his own rebound off the end boards and ended the game with 1:01 left in the extra session. G Bryan Pitton made 22 saves for the win.

Friday, Nov. 11
Idaho 4 vs. CONDORS 3
Attn: 4,924
The Condors tried for a second straight three-goal rally on Friday, but came up just short. LW Matt Marquardt scored twice on the power play in the third period to turn a 4-1 contest into a one-goal game, but this time Idaho G Jimmy Spratt kept them at bay and held on for the win. He stopped 38 shots on the night, including 17 in the third period and several saves in the waning minutes as Bakersfield fought for the equalizer. C Thomas Frazee scored his first professional goal for the Condors in the second period.

Saturday, Nov. 12
Idaho 4 vs. CONDORS 2
Attn: 5,611
Idaho once again jumped out to a big lead, aided by three goals in the span of just over two minutes early in the second period. LW Matt Marquardt and F/D Michael Gergen scored power play goals late in the middle period to cut the lead in half, but it’s as close as the Condors could get. Steelheads G Jerry Kuhn stopped 38 Condors shots for his first win of the season.

PLAYER AND TEAM NOTES:

The Condors have two of the top three rookie scorers in the league. RW Scott Freeman’s 18 points lead all rookies (and is second overall in the ECHL) and C Mathew Sisca’s 14 points are tied for second among first year players. Sisca also leads all rookies with 10 assists, and Freeman is tied for the rookie lead with nine goals.
Thursday’s game was the first time the Condors have surrendered the first goal of the game and won.
LW Matt Marquardt (right) scored three goals over two games (Friday and Saturday) over the weekend. He has moved into a tie for the league lead with five power play goals.
Six Condors have scored their first pro goals this season: D Jimmy Martin, C Thomas Frazee, F Mike Kramer, F Peter Boyd, C Mathew Sisca, and D Matt Campanale (who has now no longer on the team).
The Condors traded Campanale on Friday to Elmira for future considerations.
Bakersfield has scored the first goal in only four of 14 games.
In four games last week, the Condors surrendered eight goals in the second period. But in the first and second periods, combined, they surrendered only four goals.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK:
“We need to turn on the alarm clock in the first period.” Head Coach Matt O’Dette before Saturday’s game. The Condors surrendered a multiple goal lead to start each of their four games last week.

UPCOMING SCHEDULE: (subject to change.)
All practices are at Rabobank Arena unless otherwise indicated
Tuesday, Nov. 15 – 10:30 a.m. game vs. Stockton
Wednesday, Nov. 16 – 10 a.m. practice (BISC)
Thursday, Nov. 17 – 8:30 a.m. practice
10:45 a.m. depart for Colorado
Friday, Nov. 18 – 6:05 p.m. game at Colorado
Saturday, Nov. 19 – 6:05 p.m. game at Colorado
Sunday, Nov. 20 – return home
Monday, Nov. 21 – 10 a.m. practice

ON THE DOCKET:
The Condors host the Stockton Thunder Tuesday morning in a 10:30 a.m. start. That game is the annual Businessperson’s Special/Field Trip Day Game, sponsored by HOT 94.1. All tickets for this game are just $10. Sneak out of work and enjoy a power lunch with the Condors! This game is also the first regular season meeting for Condors Head Coach Matt O’Dette against his former team and former head coach.

After that, the team heads back out on the road for a two-game trip to play the Colorado Eagles. Both Friday and Saturday’s games start at 6:05 p.m. Pacific, and you can catch all the action on Fox Sports Radio 970. The games can also be heard on www.foxsports970am.com, iHeartRadio and www.AmericaOne.com. Saturday’s game can also be heard as the Game of the Week on Fox Sports Radio 610 in Lancaster.

They return home to host the Alaska Aces on Tuesday, Nov. 22 at 7 p.m. That night is $1 Hot Dog Night, featuring ½ price beer through the end of the first intermission, sponsored by My45, La Preciosa 105.3 and R&D Leather Furniture. In addition to the food and drink deals, anyone who brings a new, unwrapped toy to the game can get in for just $1. The toys will be donated to the CHips for Kids program. Also coming up is the annual Teddy Bear Toss, on Saturday, Nov. 26. Tickets for Teddy Bear Toss are going fast, so don’t wait!

CONDORS LEAGUE LEADERS:
RW Scott Freeman – 18 points (t-2nd) (1st among rookies)
RW Scott Freeman – 9 goals (t-3rd) (t-1st among rookies)
RW Scott Freeman – 3 game winning goals (t-1st)
LW Hans Benson (right) – 6 fighting majors (t-2nd)
LW Matt Marquardt – 5 power play goals (t-1st)
C Mathew Sisca – +7 (t-5th)
C Mathew Sisca – 14 points (t-2nd among rookies)
C Mathew Sisca – 10 assists (1st among rookies)

CONDORS LEADERS:
Points: RW Scott Freeman, 18
Goals: RW Scott Freeman, 9
Assists: C Mathew Sisca, 10
PIM: LW Hans Benson, 44
+/-: C Mathew Sisca +7
GAA: G Matt Keetley, 2.22
Save %: G Matt Keetley, .935
Wins: G Matt Keetley, 3

GET TICKETS:
Ticket packages, starting as low as $48, are on sale now by calling the Condors front office. Special group rates are available for just a minimum of 10 people (advanced purchase required). Reserve your group or party today by calling 324-PUCK (7825).

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. – 4 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 $48! Call the Condors office at 324-PUCK (7825) or go online to www.bakersfieldcondors.com for more information.

Follow the Condors all season long, for team news, player moves, promotions, and more on Twitter (@Condors) and Facebook (facebook.com/BakersfieldCondors). Be the first to know!