BAKERSFIELD CONDORS @ COACHELLA VALLEY FIREBIRDS, 7 p.m.
The Condors open the season in Palm Desert against last year’s Western Conference champions
BAKERSFIELD @ COACHELLA VALLEY
PUCK DROP: 7 p.m.
BROADCAST
Tonight’s game is FREE on AHLTV simply by registering an account. AHLTV allows you to stream from all your favorite streaming platforms.
Vote for the PCL Hardest Worker of the Game via the Condors mobile app, available wherever you download your apps from.
GAME PREVIEW presented by Rodriguez & Associates
The Condors and Firebirds embark on the 2023-24 season with the first of eight meetings on the year. It is the ninth season of American Hockey League action for the Condors and the second for the Firebirds, who advanced to the Calder Cup Finals in their inaugural season.
OPEN THE GATE
Tonight is the ninth season opener for the Condors in the AHL. The team owns a 5-2-1 mark and tonight is the fourth time the team will open the season on the road.
HEAD TO HEAD
Last season, the Condors went 4-3-1 against the Firebirds.
CAPTAINCY
For the fourth season, Brad Malone will serve as the team’s captain. His 267 games played in a Condors sweater are third in the team’s AHL history, 30 behind Josh Currie, who appeared in 297 with Bakersfield in the AHL. Seth Griffith and James Hamblin will serve as alternate captains.
RETURNERS
Of the 24 players on the team’s opening night roster, 15 played last season with the Condors. There are four rookies on the team (Matvey Petrov, Ethan de Jong, Jayden Grubbe, and Max Wanner).
BIENVENUE RAPH
Raphael Lavoie led the Condors in goals with 25 a season ago, third most for a Condor in an AHL season. The 23-year old also set a new team record in February last year, becoming the first Condor to score four times in a game. He signed a one-year NHL contract with the Oilers in the offseason.
NETMINDING DUO
Between the pipes, the Condors return both goaltenders from a year ago who each t-9th in the AHL in save percentage at .912%. Veteran Calvin Pickard went 23-12-2 in his first year in Bakersfield while Olivier Rodrigue went 14-14-1. The latter signed a one-year NHL deal with the Oilers in the offseason.
FIREPOWER UP FRONT
Bakersfield added significant firepower up front with the additions of veterans Drake Caggiula and Lane Pederson. Caggiula had 22 goals with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton a season ago, his first year in the AHL after 282 games at the NHL level. Pederson had 17 goals in just 18 games with Abbotsford a season ago before being recalled by Vancouver.
GOT GLEASON
Ben Gleason joins the organization from the Stars organization where he had back-to-back nine goal seasons from the blue line. The 25-year old has 141 points (29g-112a) in 290 career AHL games.
DYNAMIC DEENO
Cam Dineen signed with the Oilers after being acquired in a trade deadline day deal with Arizona. He registered 12 points (2g-10a) in 19 games with the Condors and his six goals and 41 assists overall were both career highs.
BOURGY’S BACK
Xavier Bourgault is back in Bakersfield after 13 goals as a 20-year old last season. The winger scored twice in the NHL preseason and twice in the Condors home preseason game last Friday.
SCOUTING THE FIREBIRDS
Coachella Valley reloaded from their inaugural season returning three of their four leading point getters in Max McCormick, Kole Lind, and Cameron Hughes. Devin Shore joined the organization in the offseason after playing for both the Oilers and Condors a year ago. Andrew Poturalski, who missed much of last season, but returned for the Calder Cup Playoffs, also provides significant scoring up front.
WHAT’S NEXT?
The Condors home opener is next Saturday, Oct. 21 at 7 p.m. against Ontario. (click here for tickets)
Join us at 4:30 p.m. for a player red carpet and stick around for a party on the plaza pre-game before doors open at 6 p.m.
