ECHL Bakersfield Condors

Bakersfield bolsters roster with three deadline deals

Published on March 4, 2008 under ECHL (ECHL)
Bakersfield Condors News Release


BAKERSFIELD, Calif. - The Bakersfield Condors stood tall in a 4-3 shootout victory over the Idaho Steelheads in the first of three consecutive games in Boise last week. C Tim Konsorada tallied four points (2g-2a) in four games, as the Condors went 1-3-0 on the week.

The Condors are 17-31-9 on the season and are in fourth place in the Pacific Division, ninth place in the National Conference. The Condors sit just two points behind the Phoenix RoadRunners for the final National Conference playoff spot, with two games in hand and two head-to-head meetings.

THIS WEEK (ALL TIMES PACIFIC):

Thursday, March 6 @ Phoenix (6:11 p.m.)

Friday, March 7 @ Las Vegas (7:05 p.m.)

Saturday, March 8 vs. Idaho (7 p.m.)

Monday, March 10 vs. Idaho (7 p.m.)

WEEK IN REVIEW (Home team in CAPS):

Wednesday, Feb. 27

Condors 4 vs. IDAHO 3, SO

F Todd Griffith scored early in the third period for the Condors to erase a 3-2 deficit and force overtime, eventually leading to a Condors shootout win. D Reagan Leslie and LW Mark Derlago scored in the first frame to give Bakersfield a 2-0 lead in the game. G Yutaka Fukufuji stopped 32 shots in regulation and four of five in the shootout for his 10th win of the season.

Friday, Feb. 29

IDAHO 5 vs. Condors 2

The Steelheads scored three times in the first period and held off Bakersfield for a 5-2 win on Friday. Second period tallies by RW Chris Di Ubaldo and LW Brett Lutes kept the Condors in it, but the Steelheads answered both Bakersfield tallies with a pair of their own. Idaho scored three times with the man advantage, and the Condors outshot the Steelheads 29-24 in the game.

Saturday, March 1

IDAHO 8 vs. Condors 3

C Tim Konsorada, C Steve Slonina and F Eric Sonnenberg each found the back of the net in the third period, but the Condors could not come back after the Steelheads red hot performance through the first two frames. G Yutaka Fukufuji stopped 18 of 19 shots in the third period after replacing starter G Michel Robinson.

Monday, March 3

Cincinnati 7 vs. CONDORS 2

Second-period goals from LW Evan Kotsopoulos and C Tim Konsorada kept the Condors close through two periods, but the Cincinnati Cyclones, who are 18-1-0 in their last 19 games, pulled away in the final frame en route to the 7-2 win. G Yutaka Fukufuji turned aside 38 of the 45 Cincinnati shots he faced.

CONDORS WHEELING AND DEALING:

The Condors made three separate transactions today, one day before the Wednesday trade deadline, to bolster the ranks for the playoff push. Bakersfield sent F Todd Griffith to the South Carolina Stingrays in exchange for a pair of defensemen, D Andrew Andricopolous and D Derrick Byfuglien. Byfuglien, a fifth-year pro, was drafted by the Ottawa Senators in the fourth round of the 2000 NHL Entry Draft, and Andricopoulos, a rookie, attended training camp with the Boston Bruins in 2006.

The Condors continued to strengthen the defensive corps with another deal, which sent LW Evan Kotsopoulos to the Utah Grizzlies. In exchange, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, the American Hockey League affiliate of the Grizzlies, reassigned D Martin Frechette from Utah to the Condors.

The Condors also acquired F Alexander Naurov through reassignment by the Iowa Stars (AHL). Naurov was drafted by the Dallas Stars in the fourth round of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft, and has spent the last two seasons with the Idaho Steelheads.

PLAYER NOTES:

G Yutaka Fukufuji became the Condors career wins leader on Wednesday with his 10th victory of the season and 37th of his career. Coupled with his 27-win season in 2004-05, Fukufuji passed Kevin St. Pierre on the list, who recorded a team record 36 wins in his one season with Bakersfield in 2002-03.

On Monday, C Tim Konsorada, who has a goal in each of the last two games, tied LW Mark Derlago for the team lead with 28 goals. They are both tied for fourth among the ECHL's goal scorers, and are one of only two pairs of teammates in the league's top 10.

The Condors are 21% (11-52) on the power play over their last 11 games.

The Condors signed F Ryan Gibbons on Friday and D Matt Hanson on Saturday. Both players debuted in Idaho.

RW Jason Kostadine was activated from the 3-day IR Saturday, as was D Jay Langager from the 7-day IR.

F Ryan Gibbons was placed on the 7-day IR last Saturday and is eligible to come off this Saturday. D David Kudelka was placed on the 3-day IR last Saturday and is eligible to be activated today.

PROMOTIONAL NOTES:

The Condors return home this weekend after a pair of road games in Phoenix and Las Vegas to host the Idaho Steelheads Saturday night. SpongeBob Squarepants will bring his nautical nonsense to The Nest to entertain fans of all ages, courtesy of Bright House Networks, 101.5 KGFM and Diamond Technologies. Doors open at 6 p.m., puck drops at 7 p.m.

Saturday is also a Bright House Networks Family Night, where all subscribers receive $7.00 admission per person by presenting the coupon available in your cable bill.

March Monday Madness continues on Monday, March 10 when the Condors face off against the Steelheads for the second straight game. In addition to all the craziness of March Monday Madness, it will be Extinct Team Night. Fans wearing jerseys of a professional sports team that no longer exists will receive $1 admission. Doors open at 6 p.m., puck drops at 7 p.m.

The first 2,000 fans on Monday will also receive the second magnet, featuring Tim Konsorada, of the five-piece March Monday Madness Magnet Collectors Series. A new magnet is handed out at each March Monday Madness game.

Monday night will also be an ABC23 & SC Architect Condors Classroom Champions Night. Students who achieve outstanding attendance levels and academic goals will receive a complimentary ticket to the game.

For all the details of March Monday Madness, click here.

BROADCAST INFO:

You can catch all Condors games live on the All- New KGEO AM1230 with the "Voice of the Condors" Kevin Bartl. All games are also available to watch online through B2 Networks. Just click the "Watch and Listen Live" link on the Condors home page. Live streaming audio for all Condors games is also available at no cost via the website, www.bakersfieldcondors.com.

Saturday's game will be televised live on Bright House Networks Channel 21 and replayed on Sunday at 7 p.m.

LEAGUE LEADERS:

Average Attendance - 5,663 (5th)

Shorthanded Goals - 12 (t-2nd)

Road Shorthanded Goals - 10 (1st)

Penalty Minutes - 1,507 PIM/26.4 PIM per game (2nd)

LW Mark Derlago - 28 goals (t-4th overall / 3rd rookies)

LW Mark Derlago - 12 power play goals (t-3rd overall / 2nd rookies)

C Tim Konsorada - 28 goals (t-4th)

C Tim Konsorada - 4 shorthanded goals (t-2nd)

D Kevin Truelson - 40 points (4th Defensemen)

D Kevin Truelson - 12 goals (t-2nd Defensemen)

D Kevin Truelson - 7 power play goals (t-3rd Defensemen)

D Kevin Truelson - 3 game winning goals (t-2nd Defensemen)

CONDORS LEADERS:

Points- C Tim Konsorada (54)

Goals- Konsorada and LW Mark Derlago (28)

Assists- F Andrew Ianiero (33)

PIMs- RW Jason Kostadine (127)

Plus/Minus- D Kevin Truelson (+6)

Wins- G Yutaka Fukufuji (10)

GAA- Fukufuji (3.62)

Save Percentage- Fukufuji (.890)

Individual game tickets are now on sale and may be purchased through the Rabobank Arena Box Office, which is open from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. on Saturday with extended hours on game days. Tickets may also be purchased by phone at 322-2525, online at www.bakersfieldcondors.com, or at any Ticketmaster location.

Season tickets, mini-plans and group outings are available at the Condors office located at 1001 Truxtun Avenue or by calling 324-PUCK (7825).

Check out the Bakersfield Condors Statistics

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