The 4th seeded Bakersfield Condors open the Best-of-5 Pacific Division Semifinals series with the top seeded Stockton Heat at 6:30 p.m. Bakersfield swept the Abbotsford Canucks in two games last week while Stockton had a bye to this round.
Series Schedule
GAME 1: TONIGHT, Bakersfield @ Stockton, 6:30 p.m.
GAME 2: WEDNESDAY, Bakersfield @ Stockton, 6:30 p.m.
GAME 3: FRIDAY, Stockton @ BAKERSFIELD, 7 p.m. (click here for tickets)
GAME 4: SUNDAY, Stockton @ BAKERSFIELD, 5 p.m.** (click here for tickets)
GAME 5: Tuesday 5/17, Bakersfield @ Stockton, 6:30 p.m.**
**-if necessary
NEED TO KNOW
PUCK DROP: 6:30 p.m.
RADIO: Comedy 800 AM, iHeartRadio App
VIDEO STREAM: AHLTV
Watch the game live at McGarry’s Irish Pub (21+) located at the corner of Brimhall and Calloway.
GAME PREVIEW presented by Rodriguez & Associates
During the regular season, the Condors went 4-3-3 (.550%) against Stockton. including winning four of the last five games of the season series.
IT STARTS BETWEEN THE PIPES
Stuart Skinner stopped 57 of 60 shots (.950 sv%) in the first round. His playoff record all-time is now 8-3-0 with a 2.35 goals-against average and a .918 save percentage. Against Stockton this season, the two-time, 20-win netminder went 4-1-1 with a 1.50 and .947.
PLAYOFF PLAYER
Brad Malone leads the Condors with 18 games played in the postseason. Over that stretch, he has 17 points (8g-9a) and led the team in postseason scoring in 2019. He had a goal in the first round against Abbotsford.
BACK AGAIN
Adam Cracknell is in the postseason for the sixth time in the AHL with his fourth different organization. He led the Condors in playoff scoring last year with 10 points (3g-7a) in six games and had a goal in the first round this season. Overall, he has 34 points (17g-17a) in 39 career playoff games.
SHOOT IT
The Condors averaged 40 shots a game in the first round against Abbotsford.
SOLVING STOCKTON
Bakersfield won four of the last five meetings with the Heat, outscoring them 15-6 in the process. Despite a 13-point gap between the two in the regular season, only one regulation win separated the two rivals. Cooper Marody had five goals in nine games against the Heat while Matthew Phillips had 10 points (4g-6a) in 10 games against Bakersfield.
DOWN THE HALL
Stockton earned a bye as the division winners and has been idle since April 30. Mitch Love was named the AHL’s Coach of the Year and goaltender Dustin Wolf was named the league’s top goaltender. The Heat went 24-5-5 at home during the regular season.
