GAME PREVIEW presented by Rodriguez & Associates

The penultimate week of the regular season begins tonight for the Condors with the eighth and final meeting of the season with the Tucson Roadrunners. Bakersfield is 4-1-2 in the season series.

LOOKING BACK

Bakersfield led in the second period and three times overall on the night, yet could not close out the Ontario Reign in a 6-3 setback on Saturday.

DYNAMIC DUO DAZZLING AGAIN 

Rookies Quinn Hutson and Isaac Howard have heated up since the calendar flipped to March. Hutson has five goals and seven assists for 12 points in 13 games as he continues to lead all rookies with 29 goals on the campaign. Howard has seven goals and five assists for 12 points over that same span. He is fifth in rookie scoring with 44 points (21g-23a) in 42 games and leads all rookies in points per game.

THREE IS THE MAGIC NUMBER 

Despite being 12th overall in the AHL, the Condors still have work to do to clinch a Calder Cup Playoffs berth. With six games left, the team’s magic number is three which decreases with points gained by the Condors or dropped by the Roadrunners. In simpler terms, any Condors victory tonight would secure a place in the postseason. Click here for the playoff primer.

HOME IS WHERE THE WINS ARE 

Bakersfield has 22 home wins this season, one shy of its all-time record of 23 set in 2022-23 when the team went 23-10-3 (.681). The team currently has the fourth-best home record in the league.

The Condors are 12-3-3 (.750) in their last 18 against Tucson at Dignity Health Arena.

BIT OF EVERYTHING

Sam Poulin had a goal and fighting major in the first period on Saturday. He has four points (3g-1a) in his last five games.

HAMMERING HOME 

James Hamblin scored his 27th of the season on Saturday. He is tied for 10th in the league in goals and has four goals in his last five contests.

THEN THERE WAS ONE 

With Seth Griffith missing Saturday’s game due to a lower body injury, Viljami Marjala is now the only Condor to appear in every game this season.

KILLING IT 

Bakersfield’s penalty kill is second in the AHL on home ice at 87.8%. The team killed all 16 chances against on a recent four-game homestand.

GET TO THE THIRD 

The Condors are 31-3-8 when holding at least a share of the lead after two periods.

SEEING SIXTH

If the playoffs started today, the Condors would faceoff with the Coachella Valley Firebirds in a 3-6 first round best-of-three (1-2 format). The Condors begin the night three points out of fifth, four points out of fourth, and five points out of third.

TUCSON TALES

The Roadrunners are 16-14-2 on the road, but have dropped three straight. Despite third period leads in both games over the weekend, Tucson was unable to close out the Henderson Silver Knights. Austin Poganski and Ben McCartney are tied for the team scoring lead with 51 points.

UP NEXT 

The Condors host San Diego for a $3 Beer Friday (click here for tickets), and Youth Jersey Giveaway Saturday (click here for tickets) this weekend.