Condors Do It Again, Beat Ice Dogs 4-2; Finish Road Trip 7-0-2
March 17, 2007 - ECHL (ECHL)
Bakersfield Condors News Release
LONG BEACH, Calif. - Chalk up another win for the red-hot Bakersfield Condors, who won their season-high seventh straight game with a 4-2 triumph against the Long Beach Ice Dogs Friday, before 2,256 at the Long Beach Arena.
The Condors (39-13-10, 88 points) complete their nine-game road trip with a 7-0-2 mark, winning the final seven games of the trek. They also remain two points ahead of the Las Vegas Wranglers atop the Pacific Division. Meanwhile Long Beach (22-35-3, 47 points) remains seven points behind the Phoenix RoadRunners for the final playoff spot in the National Conference.
"I'm very proud of the team for the way they played tonight and during the road trip," said Condors head coach Marty Raymond. "We completed one of the most successful road trips in team history and we look forward to coming home."
The Ice Dogs drew first blood 5:40 into the first period thanks to Ryan Bennett's 13th goal of the year. Andrew Winnik got the original shot from the right point that Jamie Hodson stopped, but Bennett was right there to put home the rebound. The goal broke Hodson's consecutive shutout streak at 143:46, a new Condors record.
Tyler Scott tied it 4:49 into the second on his 12th goal of the season. After taking a cross-ice feed from Andrew Ianiero, Scott spun and fired a shot that eluded Long Beach netminder Brett Jaeger.
Alexei Smirnov regained Long Beach's lead at 8:33 of the second with his seventh marker. Terry Harrison had the puck behind the net and found an open Smirnov, who roofed a wrister from the slot.
The Condors, however, answered with back-to- back goals late in the middle frame to take a 3-2 lead. Brett Lutes earned his team- leading 27th of the season at 17:10, jumping in on a rush and redirecting in Kevin Truelson's bid. Then 1:32 later Josh Liebenow came calling with a power-play goal, blasting home a slapper from the top of the left circle. It was his 25th of the campaign.
Hodson took over in the third, stopping all 14 Long Beach shots. Truelson put the game away with an empty-netter at the 18:54 mark, his 13th goal of the season.
Notes: Bakersfield is now 23-3-7 in 2007, and 15-1-5 in the last 21 games. The Condors are now 6-0-1 against Long Beach. The Condors, who had seven regulars out of the lineup, signed forwards Don Johnson and Daniel Kim Friday.
Bakersfield reduced their magic number for clinching home ice advantage in at least the first round of the playoffs to five points with the win. Any combination of points the Condors get and the Fresno Falcons don't that totals five guarantees Bakersfield home ice in round one of the postseason. The Condors also knocked their magic number for clinching at least the third seed in the National Conference down to eight points. Any combination of points Bakersfield amasses and the Idaho Steelheads don't that totals eight guarantees the Condors the third seed in the National Conference.
The team returns to The Nest Saturday against the Stockton Thunder, as Bright House Networks, 101.5 KGFM and American Business Machines present SpongeBob Squarepants and the St. Patrick's Day Jersey Raffle and Auction. SpongeBob will be live and in person to entertain the crowd, plus five lucky fans will win special game-worn St. Patrick's Day jerseys, with proceeds from the auction donated to Kern Adult Literacy Council.
Individual game tickets are on sale and may be purchased through the Rabobank Arena Box Office, which is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 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 also available at the Condors office located at 1001 Truxtun Avenue or by calling 324- PUCK (7825).
You can catch all Condors games live on KGEO Hot Talk AM1230 with Jake Stevens calling all the action. Most games are available to view courtesy of B2 Networks. Just click the "Watch the Game Live" link on the Condors home page. Live streaming for all Condors games is also available via the web site, www.bakersfieldcondors.com.
• Discuss this story on the ECHL message board...
ECHL Stories from March 17, 2007
- Tejchma Tallies First Pro Goal in Falcons 5-2 Loss - Fresno Falcons
- Utah upends Salmon Kings - Victoria Salmon Kings
- Top Line Shines As Steelheads Down Falcons 5-2 - Idaho Steelheads
- Aces earn point in 3-2 shootout loss at the Beach - Alaska Aces
- Grizzlies Rally 3-2 In Victoria - Utah Grizzlies
- Wranglers Rally Past RoadRunners 5-3 - Las Vegas Wranglers
- Wranglers Stun RoadRunners 5-3 - Phoenix RoadRunners
- Ice Pilots lose thriller at the hanger - Pensacola Ice Pilots
- Ellsworth stops season-high 44 shots, Reddox leads with three-point - Stockton Thunder
- 10,000 fans see Checkers win third straight, 6-1 over Florida - Charlotte Checkers
- Lynx Puzzle Wildcatters in 2-0 Shut out - Texas Wildcatters
- Royals Win Homecoming Against Johnstown, 3-1 - Reading Royals
- Stingrays Edge Ice Pilots 4-3 In Shootout - South Carolina Stingrays
- McKee earns first pro shutout with 42 saves vs. Texas - Augusta Lynx
- Gladiators Singe Inferno, 5-1 - Atlanta Gladiators
- Cyclones Rally Falls Short, 3-2 - Cincinnati Cyclones
- No Irish Luck for 'Blades as Checkers win 6-1 - Florida Everblades
- Fukufuji Makes 29 Saves For Reading To Earn Victory - Johnstown Chiefs
- Fresno Fuego, Real Salt Lake, and Freddy Adu to Appear at Tuesday's Falcon Game - Fresno Falcons
- ECHL Transactions - Mar. 17 - ECHL
- Ice Pilots add college D-Man - Pensacola Ice Pilots
- Goaltender Dov Grumet-Morris Back To AHL - Cincinnati Cyclones
- ECHL Today - ECHL
- South Carolina Coach Fitzsimmons Suspended One Game, Fined - ECHL
- Royals Hold Off Bombers In Dayton, 4-3 - Reading Royals
- Thunder inches closer to playoff berth on Pepperall's winner, Dubnyk's 34 stops - Stockton Thunder
- Nailers Blanked By Storm - Wheeling Nailers
- Condors Do It Again, Beat Ice Dogs 4-2; Finish Road Trip 7-0-2 - Bakersfield Condors
- Lee, Bellefeuille and Westlund propel Checkers to 6-3 win at Columbia - Charlotte Checkers
- Steelheads Clinch Playoff Spot Despite 3-2 Loss To Thunder - Idaho Steelheads
- Falcons Fall to Aces 3-1 - Fresno Falcons
- Aces rally past Falcons, 3-1 - Alaska Aces
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.
