Condors Rally for Overtime; Open Playoffs Thursday
Published on April 18, 2026 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Bakersfield Condors News Release
The Bakersfield Condors (37-23-12, 86pts) rallied for overtime and finished the regular season with a 4-3 overtime loss against the San Jose Barracuda (40-28-4, 84pts) on Saturday. Bakersfield is the 5 seed in the upcoming Calder Cup Playoffs and will host Coachella Valley on Thursday in Game 1 at Dignity Health Arena.
A Kasper Halttunen power-play goal made it 1-0 San Jose in the first period as Connor Ungar stopped 16 of 17 shots in his return to the lineup.
The teams exchanged two-goal second periods with Isaac Howard (24th) and Viljami Marjala (17th) each scoring for Bakersfield.
The Condors forced overtime when Atro Leppanen (11th) blistered home an extra attacker goal on the power play with two minutes left. It was the ninth extra attacker goal of the season for the Condors.
San Jose won in overtime. It was the Condors 20th trip to overtime this season.
Marjala extended his point streak to six games (3g-5a). He was the only Condors player to play all 72 games. Howard had a goal and assist to finish t-4th in the AHL rookie scoring race.
Quinn Hutson led all rookies with 30 goals this season and finished second in the AHL rookie scoring race.
Griffith had two assists and finished fifth in the AHL overall scoring race.
David Lewandowski, a fourth-round selection by the Edmonton Oilers in 2025, made his professional debut. He had an assist.
ROUND ONE IS SET! CONDORS HOST GAME 1 THURSDAY!
(5) BAKERSFIELD CONDORS vs (4) COACHELLA VALLEY FIREBIRDS (best-of-3)
GAME 1: Thursday, April 23: Coachella Valley @ BAKERSFIELD (Dignity Health Arena), 7 p.m.
GAME 2: Saturday, April 25: Bakersfield @ COACHELLA VALLEY (Acrisure Arena), 6 p.m.
GAME 3: Sunday, April 26: Bakersfield @ COACHELLA VALLEY (Acrisure Arena), 5 p.m.*
PLAYOFF PASSES ON SALE
You can secure your seats now with the purchase of a Playoff Pass. Passes are available as eight flex vouchers to use for any round, in any quantity. Seats are purchased on a first-come, first-serve basis, so do not be left out on all of the playoff excitement. Purchase yours.
American Hockey League Stories from April 18, 2026
- Roadrunners Rally Past Siver Knights, Winning, 5-4 - Henderson Silver Knights
- Condors Rally for Overtime; Open Playoffs Thursday - Bakersfield Condors
- Gulls Close Out Season with 6-4 Finish, Achieve Best Record Since 2018 - San Diego Gulls
- Reign Fall, 2-0, Earn Calder Bye - Ontario Reign
- Colorado Wraps up Regular Season with 7-5 Loss to Wranglers - Colorado Eagles
- Condors to Host Game 1 Thursday; Series Set - Bakersfield Condors
- Stars Finish Regular Season with Win over IceHogs - Texas Stars
- The Canucks Shut out the Pacific Division Champions - Abbotsford Canucks
- Moose Roar Back With 35th Win in 6-1 Rout - Manitoba Moose
- Admirals Take on Manitoba in Calder Cup Playoffs - Milwaukee Admirals
- Texas Set to Face Chicago in Central Division Semifinals - Texas Stars
- Moose Announce Schedule for 2026 Calder Cup Playoffs First Round - Manitoba Moose
- Wolves to Face Stars in Postseason Showdown - Chicago Wolves
- Ads Shut Out by Wolves - Milwaukee Admirals
- Bears Fall, 2-1, in Final Regular-Season Meeting with Islanders - Hershey Bears
- Senators Close out Season with 4-0 Loss to Crunch - Belleville Senators
- Amerks Shut out by Wilkes-Barre/Scranton - Rochester Americans
- Iowa Falls 6-1 to Manitoba in Final Game of 2025-26 Season - Iowa Wild
- P-Bruins Topped by Comets in Regular Season Finale - Providence Bruins
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- Penguins Top Amerks 8-0 in Thrilling Season Finale - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
- Comets Upset Bruins in Regular Season Finale, Playoff Hopes Remain Alive - Utica Comets
- T-Birds Hold off Pack to Win Regular Season Finale - Springfield Thunderbirds
- Islanders Secure 4th in Atlantic Division in Victory over Hershey in Final Regular Season Game - Bridgeport Islanders
- Brendan Brisson Strikes Twice, But Wolf Pack Fall 4-3 to Thunderbirds - Hartford Wolf Pack
- Perets Spectacular in Shutout Win - Lehigh Valley Phantoms
- Checkers Stymied in 2-0 Loss to Phantoms - Charlotte Checkers
- Providence Bruins Announce 2025-26 Season Awards - Providence Bruins
- Anaheim Ducks Sign Roger Mcqueen to Three-Year Entry-Level Contract - San Diego Gulls
- Reign Preview - Ontario vs. Abbotsford - Ontario Reign
- Eagles to Face San Diego Gulls in Opening Round of 2026 Calder Cup Playoffs - Colorado Eagles
- Henderson Silver Knights Announce Schedule and Plans for Round One of Calder Cup Playoffs - Henderson Silver Knights
- Preview: Phantoms at Charlotte, Game 71 - Lehigh Valley Phantoms
- San Diego Gulls First-Round Playoff Series Schedule Announced - San Diego Gulls
- Tampa Bay Lightning Reassign Forward Milo Roelens, Defenseman Dyllan Gill to Syracuse Crunch from Orlando Solar Bears - Syracuse Crunch
- Preview: Condors at Barracuda, 7 p.m. - Bakersfield Condors
- Hartford Wolf Pack Release D Phip Waugh from PTO - Hartford Wolf Pack
- Game Preview: Bears vs. Islanders, 7 p.m. - Hershey Bears
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