The Condors beat the Ice Dogs 4-1 in Game 5 of the Kelly Cup Playoffs last night at the Long Beach Arena and moved ahead of the Ice Dogs to take the lead in the series 3-2. The Condors can wrap up the series by winning at home against Long Beach this Friday and move on to the Pacific Division finals. Should the Condors lose on Friday, Game 7 on Saturday night in Condorstown will decide it all.

Join the Condors this Friday, April 21st for what could be the final game of the 1st round of ECHL Kelly Cup playoff action. Everyone in attendance will receive a Condors Blackout Foam Rally Stick courtesy of KGET-TV 17 & the new AT&T. Plus, fans are encouraged to wear black attire to Blackout the Ice Dogs.

If necessary, the Condors will take on the Long Beach Ice Dogs on Saturday, April 22nd for Game 7 of the Kelly Cup playoffs. All fans are again encouraged to wear black attire to Blackout the Ice Dogs. Doors open at 6pm and puck drops at 7pm for both games.

Round Two Playoff Scenario:
ECHL Playoffs, Round Two
If Bakersfield Beats Long Beach, They Will Play Fresno:
Game 1 - April 24, Monday @ Fresno – 7:30pm
Game 2 - April 25, Tuesday @ Fresno – 7:30pm
Game 3 - April 28, Friday @ Bakersfield – 7:00pm
Game 4 - April 29, Saturday @ Bakersfield – 7:00pm
Game 5 – May 3, Wednesday @ Bakersfield – 7:00pm (if necessary)
Game 6 – May 5, Friday @ Fresno – 7:30pm (if necessary)
Game 7 – May 6, Saturday @ Fresno – 7:30pm (if necessary)

Fans can still secure their seats for the extended post-season action. Mini-plan holders need to sign up by Thursday, April 20th and full-season ticket holders by Friday, April 21st, or your seats will be released to the general public. Sign up for Rounds 2, 3, and 4 by credit card, which will only be charged as we advance; you have nothing to lose, so get it out of the way! The Condors will also accept a check or cash as forms of payment. Stop by the customer service table on the concourse behind section 108 at Friday’s game or contact the Condors front office at 324-PUCK (7825) to secure seats for the playoff action.

Fans, pick up your playoff tickets at the game on Friday, April 21st at the customer service booth located behind section 108. If Game 7 is necessary, the tickets will also be available in the Condors office starting at 10 am on Saturday the 22nd or at the outside will call table which will be set up in front of the Condors office beginning at 5:45 pm. If Game 7 is not played on Saturday, April 22nd, tickets for the remainder of possible playoff games will be available for pick-up in the Condors office on Monday, April 24th.

Full Season Ticket holders have already received tickets for the first three games in their packets. The third playoff game (labeled on tickets as Playoff Game “C”) will be held on Friday, April 21st, and the fourth playoff game (labeled on the ticket as Playoff Game “D”) will be played on Saturday, April 22nd. If Game 7 is necessary, fans will use the ticket labeled Playoff Game “D” to gain entry to that evening’s event. However, if the Condors make it into the second round after Friday’s game and Game 7 is unnecessary, fans will use the Playoff Game “D” ticket to gain entry into the Condors first second round home game on Friday, April 28th.

By now many of you have noticed the Condors have forgone the traditional playoff beard for the Mohawk. Last year when Condors forward Brad Mehalko mentioned the playoff Mohawk it wasn’t a bandwagon many of the players jumped on. This season, the team leaped at Mehalko’s idea and the chance to uniformly be unique. The Condors hawks range in length and style. Mike Hosftrand has a buzzed look, with a strip of ½ inch hair down the middle, while Reagan Leslie stands tall with a 5-inch Mohawk. The Condors front office is also getting into the mix well the guys at least by opting for the facial hair. “Not that I’m one to talk, but it’s pretty funny to see these baby-faced guys trying to grow beards and it just looks like they haven’t bathed lately,” said Condors President Matthew Riley.

Alexandre Bolduc was reassigned to the Condors this past week by the Manitoba Moose of the American Hockey League. He played in Sunday’s game in Long Beach. Bolduc racked up 3 goals and 7 assists in 29 games while playing for the Moose and currently has scored 1 goal and 1 assist with a +2 rating in the playoffs with the Condors. We are happy to have Bolduc back and look forward to big things from him in the playoffs.

The Condors attendance of 6,586 in Game Two of the 1st round of the playoffs last Friday, April 14th, was the largest attended playoff game so far this year in the entire league. Congratulations Condorstown, and lets try and top that this Friday!!!

The Bakersfield Condors auctioned off their US Army inspired warm-up jerseys during a silent and live auction Tuesday, April 11th and Friday, April 14th. The majority of the jerseys were listed in a silent auction held on the main concourse during the games, with the exception of four. Forward Eric Neilson’s warm-up jersey was auctioned off live during the first intermission on Tuesday for $1,350. The pre-game sweaters for Condors players Ryan Munce, Kevin St. Jacques and Sean Venedam were auctioned off live following Friday’s game for a combined $4,750.

In total, the auction brought in $14,850. Proceeds from this auction benefit the Active 20/30 Club, an international organization that works to improve the quality of life for special needs children in the community. This particular fundraiser will help serve the needs of 9 year-old Walker Franks, a Bakersfield Christian School student with severe acquired aplastic anemia who is in need of a bone marrow transplant.

Attention Full-Season Ticket Holders:

The renewal deadline is fast approaching for the 2006-2007 season. April 30th is the last day to ensure that you secure your same seats as well as your FREE gifts for next season.

If you renew your season tickets with a 20% deposit by April 30th you will receive a cool Condors travel bag that is great for the gym or overnight trips. In addition, if you sign up for AutoPay or pay IN FULL by the deadline you will receive a cozy Condorstown chair as an added bonus! If you haven’t received your renewal information in the mail please contact your Condors account manager at 324-PUCK (7825) as soon as possible.

Friday, April 21st
Chicken Beef Tortilla Wrap Station
Stir Fry Rice
Chop Salad
Potato Salad
Brownies and Cookies

The Condors Mailbag has been integrated into the Condors website as a way to get your questions answered regarding the team, front office and organization. The coaches and front office will answer all relative questions as time allows. The Condors’ Mailbag is displayed on the Condors homepage. An archive of recently asked questions can be found at bakersfieldcondors.com. Here are a few recent inquiries:

Q: What happens if the Ref calls a penalty toward the end of the third period and the game ends before the penalty expires? What do they do with that penalty that they called?
A: A lot depends on whether the game is close at that point. If the game goes into overtime with a penalty on the board, a team’s power play continues under overtime conditions. For example, if an opponent takes a penalty with a minute left, there will still be a minute remaining on the Condors power play once overtime begins. The overtime power play would be a four-on-three advantage for the Condors. If the game ends at the end of the third period, penalty time does not carry into the next game. A player will be credited with the full penalty time on his personal stats, but leftover time is otherwise thrown out once the horn sounds. If the game goes to a shoot out and a player is still in the penalty box following the end of overtime, he will not be permitted to participate in the shootout.

Q: I was just wondering if there are shootouts in the playoffs?
A: Great question! Shootouts are certainly an exciting part of hockey. However, in playoffs the format is a little different and the game goes into sudden death overtime. Basically this means if, at the end of regulation the score is tied, then we have an 18 minute intermission and then a 20 minute period. This will continue until someone scores.

The Bakersfield Condors would like to thank Trendwest for their support during the 2005-2006 season. Trendwest is in their first season of corporate sponsorship with the Condors and currently sponsor the Trendwest Customer Service Booth as well as the mini-chopper giveaways. Trendwest has already given away one mini-chopper to a lucky Condors fan, and will be giving away another during the Kelly Cup Playoffs.

“On behalf of Trendwest Resorts, I would like to thank the Condors for the opportunity to develop new customers and businesses in the Bakersfield area,” said Regional Marketing Director Steve Dunham. “Trendwest has provided hockey fans with a chance to win great prizes while being able to take in a Condors game. Condors fans are truly number 1 in the league and we look forward to bringing home the Kelly Cup.”

Today, Trendwest Resorts is the developer and marketer of WorldMark, The Club. WorldMark’s resort system now stretches from Whistler, British Columbia and Los Cabos, Mexico, to Depoe Bay, Oregon and Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri. With more than 185,000 WorldMark owners giving exceptionally high satisfaction ratings, Trendwest has become a leader in the resort industry.

For more information on Trendwest please call (800) 860-6142, e-mail moreinfo@trendwest.com or visit www.trendwest.com.

Ryan Munce – 4/16
Michael Lightfoot – 4/18
Reagan Leslie – 5/2
Dave Bonk - 5/5

email: condors@bakersfieldcondors.com

phone: 661.324.PUCK (7825)

web: http://www.bakersfieldcondors.com