Condors write ECHL history with overtime win, 5-4
December 5, 2004 - ECHL (ECHL)
Bakersfield Condors News Release
Brad Mehalko nets game winner in first ECHL game in Canada
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada - Brad Mehalko's seventh goal of the season at 3:39 of overtime gave the Bakersfield Condors a 4-3 win over the Victoria Salmon Kings at the Bear Mountain Arena on Sunday. It was the first professional hockey game in Victoria since 1967 and the first regular season ECHL game outside of the United States.
Power plays reigned during the opening frame and led to the first goal of the game less than five minutes in. Victoria's Ryan Wade found a loose puck between the circles and ripped home his second of the season at 4:57 on the advantage. The Kings held the lead through the first, despite a 12-4 shot advantage for the Condors.
An early Victoria goal gave the Salmon Kings a 2- 0 lead in the second frame, but it wouldn't last. Connor James and Krzysztof Wieckowski connected on a shorthanded 2-on-0 breakaway, with James potting his sixth of the year. Lars-Peder Nagel tallied twice within the span of 1:39 late in the stanza to give the Condors a 3-2 advantage after 40 minutes.
Victoria evened the score in the third period, tallying on one of their five third period power plays with a goal from Ryan Watson. The 3-3 score stood through regulation and went into overtime. Guy Dupuis, just moments after blocking a shot in the Condors zone, threaded the needle with a pass on the tape of Mehalko, who broke into the Salmon Kings zone alone and buried the game winner. Bakersfield maintains the league's best record with a 13-1-2 record in their first 16 games for the best start in team history. They have taken 28 of a possible 32 points.
The Condors road trip continues with two more in Victoria on Tuesday and Wednesday. They return home on Saturday, December 11th against the Greenville Grrrowl. The first 2,000 kids 12 and under will receive a Condors backpack, courtesy of KGET- TV 17 and Subway. In addition, the Condors are teaming up with R&D Leather Furniture on the Stay Focused Ministries Toy Drive that night. Bring a new, unwrapped toy to donate and receive a voucher good for a $1 terrace ticket to that game.
Scoring: Bakersfield (0-3-0-1) 4; Victoria (1-1-1- 0) 3 Shots on goal: Bakersfield, (12-18-7-2) 39; Victoria (4-7-5-1) 17
First period - 1, VIC, Wade 2 (Smith, Barrie), 4:57, pp. Second period - 2, VIC, Neale 1 (), 1:26. 3, BAK, James 6 (Wieckowski), 5:30, sh. 4, BAK, Nagel 4 (Kudelka, Dupuis), 16:38. 5, BAK, Nagel 5 (St. Jacques, Mehalko), 18:17. Third period - 6, VIC, Watson 5, (Purinton, Dexter), 4:51, pp. Overtime - 7, BAK, Mehalko 7 (Dupuis), 3:39.
ECHL Stories from December 5, 2004
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- ECHL Today - ECHL
- Steelheads fall to Gulls, 5-2 - Idaho Steelheads
- Alaska hammers away, finally claims 4-3 win - Alaska Aces
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