GAME PREVIEW presented by Rodriguez & Associates

The Bakersfield Condors and Tucson Roadrunners meet in a pivotal Saturday night showdown. It is the sixth of eight matchups this season between the two who will wrap the season series in Tucson next Saturday and Sunday. Bakersfield is 1-3-1 against the Roadrunners this season and enter tonight a point behind Tucson for the final playoff spot in the Pacific Division, with a game in hand.

LOOKING BACK

Trailing 2-0 after one, Bakersfield erupted for five in the second period en route to an 8-2 win over Calgary last night. Ethan Keppen led the way with two goals and an assist and was one of four Condors with a three-point night. Brett Brochu made his Condors debut and picked up his first AHL win, stopping 33 of 35.

GR8 NIGHT

Last night was the second time this season the Condors scored eight. In November, the team won 8-7 in a shootout over San Diego. The six goal win was the largest victory of the season for the Condors.

NEAR THE TOP

Condors captain Seth Griffith is third in the AHL scoring race with 62 points (18g-44a) in 58 games. He has a goal and nine assists for 10 points in his last six games. Griffith leads the league with 44 assists.

CAM THE MAN

Cam Dineen has 39 points (8g-31a) in 54 games and is closing in on the team’s scoring record by a d-man following his three assist night last night. Brad Hunt has the Condors team record for scoring by a d-man with 41 points in 2015-16. Dineen is t-10th among all AHL d-men in scoring this season.

‘C’limbing the ‘C’harts

Connor Carrick scored his 16th goal of the season last night and is second among all d-men in goal scoring. He is also second among d-men in shots with 172.

DOUBLING DOWN

Noah Philp scored twice last night, his 14th and 15th of the season. It was his second multi-goal game of the year.

MAY I?

Condors d-man Kyle Mayhew has assists in four straight games and has been even or better in all six games he has played. He had two assists and was +2 last night. The 27-year old is +4 with Bakersfield. His defensive partner, Darren Brady, had two assists last night as well and is +5 over his last four games.

BRO SHOW

Goaltender Brett Brochu won his first AHL start last night, stopping 33 of 35 shots. He’s expected to start again this evening. His .924 save percentage with Fort Wayne is fifth in the ECHL.

ON THE BOARD 

Josh Prokop notched an assist in his pro debut last night. Prokop, 25, recently wrapped a four-year career at the University of Alberta. He had 27 points in 28 games this season after leading the Golden Bears in scoring in back-to-back years.

HAMMER TIME 

James Hamblin has eight points (5g-3a) in his last seven games. The 25-year old is having his best season points wise with 35 points (15g-20a) in just 41 games.

DROPPING ‘EM

Alex Kannok Leipert’s fight with Alex Gallant was his 5th of the season and the Condors 26th of the year.

PACIFIC OUTLOOK

Seven teams will once again make the 2025 Calder Cup Playoffs from the Pacific Division. Currently, Bakersfield is one point back of seventh-place Tucson with a game in hand (10 left) and seven back of sixth-place Calgary. Calgary and San Diego (who is four points back of Bakersfield) meet tonight down The 5. (Click here for the playoff primer)

ROAD-RUNNING 

Tucson wraps up a five-game road trip tonight after last night’s 5-1 loss to the Gulls. Egor Sokolov scored his 21st of the season a night ago. He has four goals in the season series against Bakersfield.

UP NEXT

Bakersfield hosts Abbotsford on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. on a Taco & Margarita Tuesday. (click here for tickets)