Bakersfield, Calif. - The Bakersfield Condors (13-6-0-0, 26pts) continue to roll as they knocked off the Las Vegas Wranglers (6-11-1-0, 13pts) 4-1 to win their fifth straight overall and seventh in a row at home in front of 4,172 fans at Rabobank Arena on Friday night. G Timo Pielmeier lost his shutout bid with 11.3 seconds remaining in the game, finishing with 31 saves and his third consecutive win.
Despite a pair of power plays each, the opening frame was a defensive battle. Neither team found the back of the net, with the Wranglers out-shooting the Condors 13-6. It was the first time the Condors played a scoreless first period since Oct. 24 at Victoria.The Condors broke out of their shell in the middle stanza, scoring twice to take the lead. RW Stephane Goulet extended his point streak to five games by stripping a Vegas defenseman of the puck, racing down the left side and slipping his 4th of the season past G Michael Ouzas for the 1-0 lead. Less than three minutes later, it was C Gino Guyer knocking in a rebound on the doorstep to make it 2-0. RW Nick Kemp and C Matthew Myers picked up the assists. Las Vegas led in shots 19-14 through 40 minutes, but Pielmeier kept the Wranglers off the board.
The Condors extended the lead in the third period. C Mathieu Aubin tallied his fifth of the season on a 2-on-1 with LW Shawn Weller at 7:39. Then on a late power play, Bakersfield made it 4-0, with F Andrew Ianiero sweeping in a rebound from D Stu Bickel and Aubin. Inside the final seconds, Vegas scored on the power play, with just 11.3 seconds remaining.
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