Condors Go 2-2-1 on Five-Game, Three-City Road Trip
December 15, 2008 - ECHL (ECHL)
Bakersfield Condors News Release
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. - The Bakersfield Condors concluded their five-game road trip last week with games in Victoria and Fresno before returning home and hosting the Las Vegas Wranglers on Saturday. Bakersfield posted a 2-2-1 record on the road trip, which started with three straight games in Alaska. The Condors take to the road again this week for three games against the Steelheads in their first trip to Idaho this season.
The Condors are 8-12-4 on the season, and tied for 4th place with the Stockton Thunder in the Pacific Division with 20 points. Bakersfield is just two points behind the Las Vegas Wranglers in the division standings.
THIS WEEK (ALL TIMES PACIFIC):
Wednesday, Dec. 17 @ Idaho (6:10 p.m.)
Friday, Dec. 19 @ Idaho (6:10 p.m.)
Saturday, Dec. 20 @ Idaho (6:10 p.m.)
WEEK IN REVIEW (Home team in CAPS):
Tuesday, Dec. 9
VICTORIA 2 vs. Condors 0
G Yutaka Fukufuji (left) stopped 35 of 36 shots for the Condors, but Victoria took home a 2-0 win due to a shutout performance by G Julien Ellis. Victoria out-shot Bakersfield 18-4 in the third period, and D Matt Kelly finally broke the scoreless tie with the eventual game-winner at 10:59 in the final frame. The Salmon Kings added an empty-net goal in the final minute to seal the win.
Friday, Dec. 12
FRESNO 6 vs. Condors 5, OT
The Condors battled back from deficits of 2-0, 4-2 and 5-4 to force overtime, but the Falcons netted the game-winner in the extra session to win, 6-5. F Matt Pope led the offense with a pair of goals, and was helped by F Andrew Ianiero, D Martin Frechette and D Chris Kaufman (right), who all scored. Kaufman's first career goal served as the equalizer with less than three minutes remaining in the third and helped earn the Condors a point in the standings. LW Jarrett Konkle completed a hat trick with Fresno's game-winner on the power play, 1:52 into OT.
Saturday, Dec. 13
Las Vegas 5 vs. CONDORS 2
Attn: 4,823
The Condors jumped out to a 2-0 first period lead, but Las Vegas responded with five consecutive goals, including four in the third period, to claim the 5-2 win. RW Mike Wirll (left) tallied on the penalty kill and F Andrew Ianiero lit the lamp on the power play just over two minutes apart for the Condors in the opening frame. The Wranglers added an empty net goal late in the third. PLAYER AND TEAM NOTES:
The Condors are 2nd in the league in average attendance at 6,338 fans per game. F Andrew Ianiero (right) has 2g-2a in his current two-game scoring streak.
Ianiero's goal Saturday night moved him past Sean Venedam into 5th place on the Condors all-time list with 71 goals. He needs only four goals to move past Brett Lutes into 4th. He is also just seven games shy of passing Glen Mears for 4th place in career games played.
RW Mike Wirll's shorthanded goal Saturday was his 200th career ECHL point. He has 227 points in his professional career. It was the first goal as a Condor for Wirll since April 4, 2003, when he emerged from the junior ranks to play five regular season and five playoff games for the Condors at the end of the 2002-03 campaign. This season, he has 1g-2a-3pts in just two games with Bakersfield. C Brett Pilkington (right), who was acquired from Trenton on Dec. 3, has 1g-4a-5pts in five games with the Condors.
F Matt Pope is 3rd among ECHL rookies with 13 goals after notching a pair on Friday night. He leads the team with seven multi-point games this year.
G Yutaka Fukufuji stopped a penalty shot on Saturday, and the Condors are 2-for-2 in stopping opponents penalty shots this season. The Condors power play has scored on four of its last 11 advantages throughout the last two games and is ranked 6th in the ECHL at 18.7%.
The Condors are outscoring their opponents, 51-50, in the first and second periods, but have been outscored, 34-17, in the third. RW Liam Huculak was placed on the 3-IR on Saturday, and is eligible to be activated on Tuesday, while G Dave McKee was activated from the 3-IR. F Nick Pernula remains on the 7-IR and is eligible to be activated on Dec. 18. C Dave Bonk remains on the 30-IR and is eligible to be activated on Dec. 23, while LW Bobby Bolt remains on the 30-IR and is eligible to be activated on Dec. 30.
CONDORS HEAD TO IDAHO, RETURN HOME DEC. 26 FOR LAKER GIRLS: The Condors head back on the road for a trip to Idaho this week. The Condors and Steelheads will face off Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, with all three games starting at 6:10 p.m.
All Condors games are broadcast live on ESPN Radio 1230, B2 Networks and Bakersfieldcondors.com, and be sure to tune in 15 minutes early for Condors Countdown!
The Condors return to the Mercy & Memorial Hospitals Home Ice at Rabobank Arena with home games on Friday, Dec. 26 and Saturday, Dec. 27. The Dec. 26 game will feature the LA Laker Girls, presented by ABC 23, ESPN Radio 1230 and Rio Bravo Country Club.
The Dec. 27 game is the Condors Backpack Giveaway, sponsored by KBAK-29, HOT 94.1 and Diamond Technologies, during which the first 2,000 fans, 12-and-under, receive a Yutaka Fukufuji Jersey Backpack! Doors open at 6 p.m., the puck drops at 7 p.m. both nights.
Individual game tickets are 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 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).
LEAGUE LEADERS:
Average Attendance - 6,338 (2nd)
F Matt Pope - 13 goals (3rd rookies)
F Matt Pope - 21 points (t-8th rookies)
D Martin Frechette - 5 goals (t-4th defensemen)
Condors Power Play - 18.7% (t-6th)
CONDORS LEADERS:
Points- F Matt Pope (21)
Goals- F Matt Pope (13)
Assists- RW Chad Painchaud (15)
PIM- RW Liam Huculak (69)
Plus/Minus- D Tom Morrow and F Matt Pope (+1)
GAA- G Yutaka Fukufuji (3.02)
Save Percentage- G Yutaka Fukufuji (.904)
ECHL Stories from December 15, 2008
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