GAME PREVIEW presented by Rodriguez & Associates

The Bakersfield Condors open the first round (best-of-3) of the Calder Cup Playoffs as the 5-seed against the 4-seed Coachella Valley Firebirds at Dignity Health Arena.

SERIES SCHEDULE

(5) BAKERSFIELD CONDORS vs (4) COACHELLA VALLEY FIREBIRDS (best-of-3)

GAME 1: Thursday, April 23: Coachella Valley @ BAKERSFIELD (Dignity Health Arena), 7 p.m. (click here for tickets)

GAME 2: Saturday, April 25: Bakersfield @ COACHELLA VALLEY (Acrisure Arena), 6 p.m.

GAME 3: Sunday, April 26: Bakersfield @ COACHELLA VALLEY (Acrisure Arena), 5 p.m.*

*-if necessary

REGULAR SEASON RECAP 

Bakersfield won six of the eight matchups in the season series with a 6-1-1 record. Three of the eight games went past regulation.

PLAYOFF HISTORY

The Condors make their sixth appearance in the AHL postseason after missing out on a tiebreaker a season ago. Bakersfield has been swept in each of its last three postseason series dating back to 2022. The last series victory came when the Condors swept Abbotsford in the first round of the 2022 Calder Cup Playoffs. Overall, the team is 3-2 in best-of-3 series including back-to-back wins in 2021 on its way to a Pacific Division Title.

Coachella Valley enters the postseason for the fourth straight season in its existence. The Firebirds advanced to back-to-back Calder Cup Finals in 2023 and 2024. Last season, the team swept Calgary in the first round, before falling to the eventual Calder Cup Champion Abbotsford Canucks in four games.

SPECIAL TEAMS SERIES

Despite finishing 26th on the power play in the regular season at 15.7%, Coachella Valley leaned on the man advantage at a 28.0% clip (7/25) against Bakersfield. Bakersfield’s penalty kill was 14th overall at 81.9%, but second at home killing 115/130 power plays (88.5%).

YOUTH ON DISPLAY 

The Firebirds forward group features only five forwards older than 23 years of age. Only two of their d-men are 25 years or older and none of their three netminders are older than 25.

Similarly, the Condors have eight rookies up front, but a more veteran back end with five of the six blueliners expected to dress having over 300 professional games of experience.

PLAYOFF EXPERIENCE FAVORS THE FIREBIRDS

Bakersfield has just five players on the roster who have appeared in the Calder Cup Playoffs (Griffith, Hamblin, Poulin, Dineen, Tomkins). Griffith will play his 50th Calder Cup Playoffs game tonight. He has 43 points (14g-29a) in his postseason career. Josh Brown has played four Stanley Cup Playoff games.

On the flip side, Gustav Olafsson has played 50 Calder Cup Playoff games for the Firebirds over the past three seasons. John Hayden has 47 games of postseason experience, including 34 with Coachella Valley.

ROOKIE ALL-TEAMERS READY FOR POSTSEASON 

Quinn Hutson and Isaac Howard look to turn their regular season success into the postseason tonight. Hutson led all rookies with 30 goals while Howard was top five in goals and scoring despite playing in 20 fewer games. Hutson advanced to the NCAA Frozen Four Title Game a season ago with Boston University while Howard has won gold medals with the United States at the World Junior and World Championship levels.

CAPTAIN CONDOR

Seth Griffith led the Condors in scoring for the fifth consecutive season. He finished fifth in the league scoring race with 67 points (18g-49a) in 71 games.

RED LIGHT ROBY 

Roby Jarventie finished with 23 goals on the season and tied for the team lead with five game-winning goals. He also led the team with six insurance goals.

HAMMERING AWAY

James Hamblin was second on the team with 27 goals. He scored four shorthanded, three game-winners, and two on the power play. He has played 282 games for the Condors over six seasons.

AROUND THE PACIFIC 

2-seed Colorado shut out 7-seed San Diego, 3-0, to take a 1-0 series lead.

3-seed Henderson won 5-4 in overtime against 6-seed San Jose to go up 1-0 in the series.

Top seed Ontario has a bye to the Pacific Division Semifinals.