GAME PREVIEW: Condors v Ontario
The Bakersfield Condors host Ontario for the eighth of 10 meetings between the two sides. Tonight’s game begins a brief three-game homestand for the Condors. Ontario leads the season series with five wins in seven games, but Bakersfield has won both matchups at home. All seven games in the season series have been decided by one goal.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
The Condors six-game win streak ended in Stockton on Wednesday night in a 4-0 loss. It was the first road loss in four games for the Condors and the first loss against Stockton in their last six outings.
Ontario fell to Tucson last Saturday, 2-1, on home ice. C Brett Sutter scored in the third period to bring the Reign within one, but they could not complete the comeback. G Jeff Zatkoff took the loss, stopping 37 of 39 shots.
PLAYOFF PICTURE
The Condors hold a three-point edge on Stockton and a four-point cushion on Tucson for the fourth and final playoff spot in the Pacific Division. Tucson has a game in hand on both the Condors and Heat, but with a three-in-three for the Roadrunners this weekend, all teams will be even on games by weekend’s end. The Condors hold the ROW (Regulation+Overtime wins) tiebreak over both Stockton and Tucson as they begin play this weekend.
CONDORS NOTES
Bakersfield has won three straight on home ice and are 16-8-2-0 at home this season… C Anton Lander leads the AHL in shooting percentage at 31.3% (21/67)… Bakersfield is 21-3-2-0 when scoring the first goal of the game… The Condors have the second best home penalty kill at 88.4%.
REIGN NOTES
G Jack Campbell leads the AHL with 25 victories and is second in minutes played at 2,473… D Kurtis MacDermid is second among d-men in penalty minutes at 114… Ontario’s power play is second in the AHL at 23.9%.
KEY MATCHUPS
Tonight
Tucson @ San Diego
Iowa @ Texas
Tomorrow
Stockton @ Bakersfield
Tucson @ Ontario
Iowa @ Texas
Sunday
Grand Rapids @ Stockton
Tucson @ Ontario
Monday
San Antonio @ Texas
TRANSACTIONS
3/7 – D Ben Betker recalled from Norfolk (ECHL)
3/6 – C Mark Olver loaned by Tucson (AHL)
3/6 – D David Musil reassigned to Tucson (AHL)