GAME PREVIEW presented by Rodriguez & Associates

Today is the first of eight meetings between the Condors and Coachella Valley Firebirds.

LOOKING BACK

Despite going nearly 17 minutes without a shot in the first period, the Condors were able to score on the power play in the second, and beat San Jose, 2-1, late in the third on a Quinn Hutson unassisted goal. The Condors were outshot 7-0 through the opening 17 minutes and then had a 12-7 shot edge at the midway point of the game.

NO PLACE LIKE HOME 

Bakersfield is now 6-3-2 in AHL home openers, with last night snapping a three-game winless skid since 2021 when the team knocked off Abbotsford 5-3.

SEASON OF FIRSTS 

A game after Rhett Pitlick scored his first professional goal, Hutson opened his account last night with the game-winning tally and a team high seven shots. He had 23 goals in 38 games with Boston University last season.

ALL FINNISH

Roby Jarventie scored for the second straight game and has four points (2g-2a) to open the season. He is not expected to play today as he works his way back from back-to-back season ending injuries.

REM’S A GEM

Tied for the team lead in scoring, Rem Pitlick assisted on Jarventie’s goal last night to move his line to a goal and three assists on the season.

‘W’INGRAM

Connor Ingram stopped 21 of 22 shots for a win in his Condors debut and in his first action since February 22 of last season. The Saskatchewan native went 30-17-7 with a 2.70 goals-against average and a .915 save percentage in his last full AHL season with Milwaukee in 2021-22. In the 2023-24 season he tied for the NHL lead with six shutouts and was awarded the 2024 Bill Masterton Award for perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to the game of hockey.

FIRED UP 

Despite Coachella Valley winning the Western Conference in two of the past three seasons, the Condors have had decent success against them. Bakersfield is 12-10-2 overall and went 4-3-1 last season.

KEPPEN IT EASY

Ethan Keppen is expected to make his season debut today. He had eight points (5g-3a) in 16 games with the Condors a season ago.

ROAD LIFE 

Seven of the Condors opening nine games are on the road. After today, the team goes on a 12-day, six-game trip through Tucson, Colorado, and Calgary.

POWERED UP

Both power play units have scored in the opening two games as the Condors have gone 2/6 (33.3%) on the man advantage so far. The team also has a shorthanded goal from the season opener when Rhett Pitlick struck down a man.

ALL BUSINESS 

Josh Brown fought in the second period last night. He had seven fights a season ago and led the Condors with 1.97 penalty minutes per game on average.

SCOUTING COACHELLA

The Firebirds have been outscored 8-1 through their first two games of the year after a 3-1 setback at home last night. D-man Gustav Olofsson had the lone goal for Coachella Valley.

UP NEXT

The Condors head on the road beginning on Friday and Saturday in Tucson against the Roadrunners. Catch all the action on AM 800 Fox Sports Radio and AHLTV on FloHockey.