HOLTY’S BLOG: SHOW HITS THE ROAD

The hottest team in the AHL will take the show on the road for six games starting this weekend. Will there be food pics? Will the Condors keep the impressive play going? Can the team overtake Henderson at the top of the division? Will I stop asking questions to myself?

Time will tell! You may want answers to these questions now, but as I’ll remind you, it’s my blog (thanks to Grapevine MSP!) and I’ll do what I want.

Now for the blog…

The Condors improved to 9-0-1 in their last 10 at home and have collected 23 out of a possible 26 points over their last 13 games (11-1-1). Ostap Safin scored twice last night, Adam Cracknell had three assists, and Marody-Benson hooked up for a goal too. Things will get interesting for the Condors who have gone 11 forwards, 7 d-men by design most of the season. With the addition of Michael Kesselring to the D corps, Brad Malone inching towards a return, and potential additions at both positions in the coming weeks, ice time will certainly be earned. Safin needed a night like last night and it was good to see him have success.

Nice bounce back from Skinner last night who picked up his league leading 10th win of the season. He’s 10-0-1 in his last 11 decisions and after being beaten twice in the shootout on Sunday, he responded with three stops in last night’s win. Things certainly haven’t gone easy for the Condors the past two weeks, with every game seemingly in doubt, but Skinner has found ways to come up with key stops at key moments to keep the team moving forward.

Funny start to last night’s 23ABC Highlights w/ Kari Osep. The mullet featured is Condors Asst. Coach J-F Houle’s son Noah. Goaltending coach Sylvain Rodrigue’s son, Emile, is also part of the ice crew. Pretty cool for the next generation to grow up at the rink, much like their dads did, and is Emile’s case, get to see his brother play pro hockey.

That’s a picture of something delicious from Fuzzy’s Tacos. It will be the Loveland food pics next week when we head to Colorado and I just wanted to prepare you. The queso is outstanding there. I forget what it’s like to fly. Anyways, carry on.

A good point on the broadcast this week from captain Brad Malone when talking about the Condors dynamic duo and the “Benny and the Jets” line. Not only are Marody & Benson, 1-2 in the AHL scoring race, with McLeod not far behind, but almost all of their success this season has come at even strength.

54 of their 62 points combined have come either even strength or shorthanded. McLeod doesn’t even have a power play point this year.

When Marody scored his 14th, Bugsy remarked “yeah that’s a good number for mid-March in a normal year.”

Except this year started in February! An incredible run for those three.

We’ll talk to you from Irvine Friday at 7 p.m. and then from the stands in El Segundo at 5 p.m. on Saturday as the Condors open up the six-game, four city trip to end March and start April.

Until next time Condorstown…

Ryan Holt aka Holty is the Voice of the Condors in his 10th season. Over / under on tacos consumed at Fuzzy’s next week is 7. It’s a short trip. Follow him on Twitter @CondorsHolty for more nonsense or shoot him an e-mail to RHolt@BakersfieldCondors.com with questions, comments, or blog ideas.