GAME PREVIEW: Condors host Chicago
The Bakersfield Condors host the Chicago Wolves for the first time in team history. It is a two-game season series as the Condors head to Greater Chicago next Saturday, Jan. 20.
Bakersfield picked up its first overtime victory of the season on Wednesday, 2-1, over Texas. It was the fourth time this season that the Condors won despite trailing after two periods. C Josh Currie tied the game in the third period with his ninth of the season. In overtime, LW Iiro Pakarinen secured the extra point with his fifth goal in as many games. G Laurent Brossoit made his first start in Bakersfield in exactly one year and earned the win, stopping 32 of 33.
Chicago saw a franchise-record setting 14-game point streak (12-0-1-1) end in San Diego, 2-1, on Wednesday. C Stefan Matteau scored the lone goal for the Wolves while G Maxime Lagace stopped 27 of 29 in the loss.
Despite having never faced one another, there are familiar faces on both sides. Condors C Brad Malone and RW Ty Rattie each spent time in Chicago last season. On the Wolves side, D Griffin Reinhart played parts of the past two seasons in Bakersfield and G Maxime Lagace was a member of the 2014-15 ECHL Condors. Behind the benches, Condors Head Coach Gerry Fleming and Wolves bench boss Rocky Thompson were both assistant coaches with the Oklahoma City Barons from 2010-14.
Bakersfield is 4-0-2 in its last six games, matching the team’s longest AHL unbeaten streak set last season when the team won six straight from Feb. 18 – March 5, 2017.
LW Iiro Pakarinen’s five-game goal scoring streak is the longest in the Condors AHL era and the longest current streak in the AHL… C Josh Currie has 13 points (5g-8a) in his last 16 games and is +9 over that stretch… LW Joey LaLeggia, who leads the team in assists with 15, has 10 helpers in his last 16 games… Dating back to last season, G Laurent Brossoit has won his last three starts with the Condors… Bakersfield is 6-3-4 (.615%) over its last 13 home games and 1-0-1-0 against the Central Division.
G Max Lagace suffered his first regulation loss in his last 11 starts on Wednesday. Along with G Kasmir Kaskisuo, both Wolves netminders are in the top-15 in goals-against average… The Wolves are 6-7-4-2 on the road this season… Chicago is 14-2-2-1 (.816%) when scoring first. They are 3-4-2-0 against the Pacific Division… Veteran winger Brett Sterling hails from Los Angeles, Calif.