GAME PREVIEW: Condors v Stockton
CONDORSTOWN, Calif. – The Bakersfield Condors (17-16-4-1) host the Stockton Heat (19-16-3-1) on Dignity Health Home Ice at Rabobank Arena, tonight at 7 p.m. Doors open at 6 p.m. and at 5:45 p.m. for season ticket members.
TONIGHT
The Bakersfield Condors return from the AHL All-Star break and begin a home-and-home series with the Stockton Heat. Bakersfield is 3-2-0 against the Heat in the first five of 12 meetings on the season including a 6-3 decision most recently in Stockton on January 21.
Bakersfield swept Texas on the road prior to the All-Star break with 6-3 and 4-2 wins. LW Ryan Hamilton had three goals in the two games, D Mark Fayne had two assists in the Saturday win, and G Nick Ellis stopped a career-high 44 shots to lead the Condors to victory in the second game. Bakersfield won two straight on the road for the first time since back-to-back wins in Milwaukee and Grand Rapids to close the 2015-16 season.
Stockton enters February having dropped their past four, including the 6-3 loss at home to Bakersfield. After being shutout at home by San Jose, and on the road at Milwaukee, the Heat fell 2-1 in Grand Rapids. G Jon Gillies made 37 saves in the loss.
C Josh Currie has eight goals this season and just about all of them have proven to be difference makers. Four of his eight goals have been game-winning tallies including an overtime winner against Tucson in November. Of his four other goals, three have either tied or given the Condors a lead in the third period. Currie scored the game-winner in the Condors most recent 4-2 win over Texas.
Bakersfield is 9-1-1 in their last 11 home games, have won four straight and are 12-6-1-0 on home ice this season.
C Josh Currie is on a four-game point streak (1g-4a)… D Griffin Reinhart has seven points (5g-2a) in 10 games… D Mark Fayne has nine points (2g-7a) in 12 games since joining the Condors and is +6… LW Joey LaLeggia has nine points (7g-2a) in 16 games since moving to the wing… Bakersfield’s power play unit is 10/28 over eight games (35.7%) and is up to 16th in the AHL at 17.6%… The penalty kill discarded 11 of 13 Stars power plays thru two games with one of the two goals coming five-on-three. The PK remains one of the best in the AHL (7th) at 83.9%.
G David Rittich is t-6th in goals-against average at 2.26. He is second in the league in shutouts with four… C Mark Jankowski is seventh among rookies with 29 points. He represented the Heat at the AHL All-Star Classic over the weekend… D Tyler Wotherspoon is t-4th at +20… Stockton is +23 combined in goal differential in periods one and two combined, but -16 in the third period… The Heat are 10th in scoring offense at 3.05 goals per game.