GAME PREVIEW presented by Rodriguez & Associates

With seven games remaining, the Condors head to Ontario to close an eight-game season series with the Reign. Ontario has won six of the first seven matchups in the series and all three in the Inland Empire. Bakersfield has only lost three games in a row once this season.

LOOKING BACK

Bakersfield and San Diego combined for seven goals in the second period a night ago, but after the Condors took a 2-0 lead, the Gulls responded with five unanswered en route to a 6-3 win.

ALONE AT THE TOP

Quinn Hutson scored twice last night, his 28th and 29th goals of the season. He leads all rookies in goals and scoring with 57 points. He has eight points (3g-5a) in his last seven games. Hutson is one goal away from tying Seth Griffith’s team record of 30 for a single season, set in 2021-22.

FIVE IS THE MAGIC NUMBER 

Despite the loss last night, the Condors magic number actually dropped by three following Tucson’s regulation loss in Henderson. With seven games left, the team’s magic number is five which decreases with points gained by the Condors or dropped by the Roadrunners. Tucson is in Henderson again tonight before coming to Bakersfield on Wednesday. Click here for the playoff primer.

GO SHORTY

Hutson’s second goal last night was the Condors 10th shorthanded goal of the season, tied for sixth in the AHL. The game featured two power play goals and a shorthanded goal from San Diego as well.

REIGNY DAYS 

Ontario has been the most difficult matchup for the Condors both this season and over the past five seasons. The Reign are 6-1-0 in the seven games, despite just a 22-15 goal differential. Four of the seven results have been one-goal games. The Condors are 12-17-6 over the past five seasons against Ontario with just five wins in 17 games at Toyota Arena.

THREE FOR ME 

Luke Prokop had a career high three assists and was +2 a night ago.

SETTING THE TONE 

Connor Clattenburg is second among rookies with 127 penalty minutes on the season. He is the Condors AHL single season holder for PIMs in a season already. He picked up an assist on Ethan Keepen’s second period goal.

703

Seth Griffith had two assists on Wednesday, points 702 and 703 of his AHL career. He is one point behind Alexandre Giroux for 26th all-time in scoring in the 90-year history of the AHL.

GET TO THE THIRD 

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

SLIPPED TO SIXTH 

If the playoffs started today, the Condors would faceoff with the San Jose Barracuda in a 3-6 first round best-of-three. The Condors begin the night a point out of fifth, three points out of fourth, and four points out of third.

TOP OF THE HEAP

Ontario has already clinched a playoff berth and is a point ahead of Colorado for the top spot in the Pacific Division with six games remaining. The Reign shutout Coachella Valley 7-0 on Wednesday thanks to a Cole Guttman hat trick and 23 saves from Pheonix Copley.

UP NEXT 

Next week the team is home for three games on a Weiner Wednesday (click here for tickets), $3 Beer Friday (click here for tickets), and Youth Jersey Giveaway Saturday (click here for tickets)