First Round, Game 3: Condors at Firebirds, 5 p.m.
Published on April 26, 2026 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Bakersfield Condors News Release
The Bakersfield Condors and Coachella Valley Firebirds play a deciding Game 3 tonight at 5 p.m. Tonight's winner moves on to face Ontario in the Pacific Division semifinals.
SERIES SCHEDULE
(5) BAKERSFIELD CONDORS vs (4) COACHELLA VALLEY FIREBIRDS (best-of-3)
GAME 1: Thursday, April 23: Coachella Valley 1 @ BAKERSFIELD 6 (BAK leads, 1-0)
GAME 2: Saturday, April 25: Bakersfield 4 @ COACHELLA VALLEY 5 (Series tied, 1-1)
GAME 3: Sunday, April 26: Bakersfield @ COACHELLA VALLEY (Acrisure Arena)
THE MAJICIAN
Viljami Marjala had three assists last night and is tied for the league lead in playoff scoring with five points in two games.
DJ POU
Sam Poulin registered his second straight multi-point effort in Game 2 last night. He has a goal and three assists in the series. Over 12 Calder Cup Playoffs games in his career, the Quebec native has 10 points (4g-6a).
SHOTS LIMITED
Despite scoring four times, the Condors fired just 15 shots in last night's game.
WIN OR GO HOME
Tonight will be the third "winner take all" game in the Condors AHL era. The other two came in 2021 when the team beat San Diego in overtime of Game 3 in the Pacific Division semifinals and Henderson in Game 3 of the Pacific Division Finals.
Coachella Valley plays in its fifth series-deciding game tonight. In 2022-23 the team beat Tucson in three games in the first round, Colorado in five games in the Pacific Division Semifinals, and Calgary in five games of the Pacific Division Finals. Hershey took Game 7 of the Calder Cup Finals in Coachella Valley to snap the Firebirds run of winning deciding games.
GET TO THE GOALIE
The Condors have had offensive success in the series having scored on 10 of 38 shots fired on Nikke Kokko, who has a,737 save percentage in the series.
REGULAR SEASON RECAP
Bakersfield won six of the eight matchups in the season series with a 6-1-1 record. Three of the eight games went past regulation.
PLAYOFF HISTORY
The Condors make their sixth appearance in the AHL postseason after missing out on a tiebreaker a season ago. Bakersfield has been swept in each of its last three postseason series dating back to 2022. The last series victory came when the Condors swept Abbotsford in the first round of the 2022 Calder Cup Playoffs. Overall, the team is 3-2 in best-of-3 series including back-to-back wins in 2021 on its way to a Pacific Division Title.
Coachella Valley enters the postseason for the fourth straight season in its existence. The Firebirds advanced to back-to-back Calder Cup Finals in 2023 and 2024. Last season, the team swept Calgary in the first round, before falling to the eventual Calder Cup Champion Abbotsford Canucks in four games.
CLOSE OUT
Bakersfield is 3-2 in the AHL era with an opportunity to close out a series after last night's loss. The team defeated San Diego in Game 3 of the 2021 postseason and Abbotsford in the first round of the 2022 playoffs. Bakersfield failed to eliminate Henderson in Game 2 of the Pacific Division Finals in 2021, but did so the following opportunity with a Game 3 win.
YOUTH ON DISPLAY
The Firebirds forward group features only five forwards older than 23 years of age. Only two of their d-men are 25 years or older and none of their three netminders are older than 25.
Similarly, the Condors have eight rookies up front, but a more veteran back end with five of the six blueliners expected to dress having over 300 professional games of experience.
AROUND THE PACIFIC
2-seed Colorado and 3-seed Henderson both swept their first round series and will matchup in the divisional semifinals. Ontario, who had a bye in the first round, awaits the winner of this series in a best-of-5.
CONDORS @ FIREBIRDS
FIRST ROUND (Game 3, Best-of-3)
The Condors postseason run is presented by Dignity Health, Mercy & Memorial Hospitals
Acrisure Arena, Palm Desert, Calif.
PUCK DROP: 5 p.m.
PLAYOFF PASSES:
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.
BROADCAST DETAILS
Watch on AHLTV on FloHockey.
AM 800 Fox Sports Radio & the iHeartRadio App.
DOWNLOAD THE APP
The Condors mobile app is presented by the Kern County Public Works Department.
Be sure to vote for the CBCC Inspiring Performance of the Night
JERSEY RAFFLES & AUCTIONS:
Throughout the postseason, each game will feature auctions and/or raffles. Tonight, there are two Star Wars jerseys (Josh Brown and Beau Akey) up for bidding!
American Hockey League Stories from April 26, 2026
- First Round, Game 3: Condors at Firebirds, 5 p.m. - Bakersfield Condors
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.
