Condors comeback with overtime victory, 4-3
April 4, 2009 - ECHL (ECHL)
Bakersfield Condors News Release
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. - D Donny Grover scored with just 1:11 left in overtime to propel the Bakersfield Condors to a 4-3 victory over the Ontario Reign in front of 7,171 fans at Rabobank Arena Friday night.
The Condors (33-31-7, .514, 73pts) scored on their first shot of the game, at 2:06 of the opening period on the power play. C Bruce Graham redirected a drive from D Donny Grover from the point for his 27th of the season. It wasn't until the 16th minute of the frame that Bakersfield managed another shot on goal, but G Yutaka Fukufuji was strong, stopping all 13 Reign shots in the period to hold the 1-0 lead.
Bakersfield came out in the opening minutes of the second period and extended the lead. D Ryan Mahrle gathered in his own rebound and flipped it in for his 5th of the season at 1:36. Ontario (37-29-6, .563, 80pts) got on the board late in the frame, when C Jon Francisco was sprung from the penalty box and slipped home his 20th of the season on a breakaway at 17:40. The Condors held the lead 2-1, however, after 40 minutes.
The Reign were strong in the third, dominating early and erasing the deficit. RW Geoff Walker tied the game up at 2-2 just 4:44 into the period, while LW Todd Jackson gave Ontario their first lead of the game at 12:56 with a power play marker. But the comeback Condors rallied once again. LW Mark Derlago notched his 32nd of the season on a chipshot from the bottom of the left circle with just under four minutes left in regulation to send it to overtime.
For the second time in the last two weeks, Grover earned the extra session winner. He picked up a feed from Graham, skated alone into the right circle and snapped home his fifth of the season to end the game.
CONDORS NOTES:
The regular season finale is Saturday, April 4, with a special start time of 7:30 p.m. While the Reign and Condors battle on the ice, SpongeBob Squarepants will be entertaining the crowd, and posing for pictures in the Condors Photo Booth, appearing courtesy of Bright House Networks and 101.5 KGFM. The doors will open at 6:30 p.m.
PLAYOFF PICTURE:
The results from this weekend's games, as well as the two-game series between Stockton and Las Vegas, will determine what position the Condors finish in the standings and who they will play. Regardless of opponent or seeding, the Condors will host Games 3, 4 and 5 (if necessary) on April 15, 17 and 18, respectively.
The victory by Las Vegas on Friday, 4-0 over Stockton, assured the Condors can finish no worse than 3rd in the division. A Bakersfield win will earn 2nd place, regardless of the outcome of the Vegas-Stockton game on Saturday.
GET TICKETS
Individual playoff game tickets will go on sale next week. Stay tuned to bakersfieldcondors.com for more information.
Tickets for Saturday's game 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 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).
• Discuss this story on the ECHL message board...
ECHL Stories from April 4, 2009
- Royals Drop OT Thriller to Dayton, 4-3 - Reading Royals
- Blades announce first round playoff schedule - Florida Everblades
- Larry Courville Named Royals' Head Coach - Reading Royals
- RoadRunners Lose ECHL Finale 8-2 To Idaho - Phoenix RoadRunners
- Chiefs stymied by Cyclones - Johnstown Chiefs
- Cyclones Battle Wheeling In OPening Round of Playoffs! - Cincinnati Cyclones
- Devils to Play Jackals in 2009 North Division Semifinals - Trenton Devils
- Cyclones Win Second Straight North Division Title - Cincinnati Cyclones
- Devils Pound Nailers, 6-0 - Trenton Devils
- Labenski Gives Bombers 4-3 OT Win in Season Finale at Reading - Dayton Bombers
- ECHL Transactions - ECHL
- Nailers Advance to Kelly Cup Playoffs - Wheeling Nailers
- Everblades top Sea Wolves 4-1 in regular season finale - Mississippi Sea Wolves
- Charlotte shutout at home in loss to division rivals, 3-0 - Charlotte Checkers
- Gladiators Clinch Playoff Berth; Shutout Checkers 3-0 - Atlanta Gladiators
- Game Preview: Stockton Thunder At Las Vegas Wranglers - Stockton Thunder
- Thunder Place Cheesman on Waivers - Stockton Thunder
- Wheeling's Ewing Named CCM ECHL Rookie Of The Year - ECHL
- Charlotte Junior Checkers Advance to USA Hockey National Championship Quarter Finals - Charlotte Checkers
- Checkers Agree To Terms With Andrew Carroll - Charlotte Checkers
- ECHL Today - ECHL
- Bakersfield Condors vs. Ontario Reign - Bakersfield Condors
- Aces Clinch Division, Conference Titles; Lamoureux Sets Record - Alaska Aces
- Thunder now winless in nine straight at Orleans Arena - Stockton Thunder
- Condors comeback with overtime victory, 4-3 - Bakersfield Condors
- Wranglers Top Thunder 4-0 - Las Vegas Wranglers
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
