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The Bakersfield Condors host the San Diego Gulls for the back of a weekend series. Bakersfield is 1-0-0-1 against the Gulls this season and all-time at Rabobank Arena, is 9-6-5-2 (.568%) against San Diego.
Bakersfield erased a two-goal deficit and earned a point in a 3-2 shootout loss to San Diego a night ago. LW Evan Polei scored his first AHL goal in the first to make it a 2-1 deficit after one. Then, with the Condors shorthanded, C Brad Malone scored with 1:34 left in regulation to force overtine. LW Joey LaLeggia and RW David Gust each scored in the six-round shootout. G Laurent Brossoit stopped 28 of 30 through regulation and overtime.
San Diego picked up the win last night with first period tallies from RW Corey Tropp and LW Nic Kerdiles. After an unsuccessful overtime power play, LW Giovanni Fiore extended the shootout and Kerdiles won it in round six. G Reto Berra earned the victory, stopping 29 of 31 shots.
C Brad Malone recorded a new career-high with his 12th goal of the season last night. His shorthanded goal was his third of the season, which is tied for third in the AHL. Overall, the Condors have six shorthanded goals, tied for seventh in the AHL.
Bakersfield’s penalty kill was a perfect 4/4 last night and has killed off 42 of its last 44 opportunities (95.5%).
Last night was the eighth time this season the Condors managed to earn at least a point when trailing after two periods (6-12-1-1, .350). Last season, the Condors only had seven such games and had a 4-21-2-1 (.196) record.
C Brad Malone has four points in his last five games (3g-1a)… C Josh Currie fought C Eric Fehr last night despite a five-inch and 20-pound height/weight disparity… The Condors have been to overtime in six of their last 10 games (3-2-1).
The Gulls are 11-7-1-0 on the road this season… D Andy Welinski is t-12th in the AHL in scoring among d-men with 22 points… LW Kalle Kossila, who converted last night, is 2/2 in shootout attempts this season… G Reto Berra has started eight of the team’s last 11 games.