GAME 3 Observations: Henderson - 3 at Bakersfield - 1 (2/12/21)

BAKERSFIELD, CA - A few thoughts from the Bakersfield Condors (0-3-0) home opener on Friday night against the Henderson Silver Knights (3-0-0) , a 3-1 win with an empty netter in the final second for the Silver Knights.

Mike's Post-Game Observations

1. I have covered minor league hockey in Bakersfield since the inception of the old Bakersfield Fog (West Coast Hockey League, 1995-96) and Friday night’s home opener at Mechanic’s Bank Arena was the weirdest atmosphere I have ever witnessed. And beleive me, the days of the Fog were weird. Dark concourses. Echos and a sea of empty seats. This has got to change.

1b. For those who don’t know, Keith Gretzky, Edmonton Assistant GM and General Manager of the Condors, was head coach of the Fog. It was his first coaching gig. Yes, he can tell some stories about a certain youngish beat writer.

2. The numbers on the back of the Silver Knights jerseys may look good on television and from the lower bowl. But venture up to the higher bowl and it is like those numbers are written in disappearing ink. They just sort of fade away.

3. We already knew this, but we could really hear it without a crowd. There are a lot of F-bombs in a hockey game.

4. Bakersfield rookie goaltender Olivier Rodrigue had a strong outing. First goal against came when the puck went off a defenseman’s stick and Tomas Jurco (who had seven points in eight games with Bakersfield last season) backhanded it in from the right edge. No chance on the second goal as an ill-timed outlet pass led to a turnover and a one-timer from a wide-open Ryan Murphy in the slot. Rodgrigue stopped a number of quality scoring chances and ended up with 22 saves on 24 shots.

5. Forward Ryan McLeod started the game centering the first line and ended up bouncing around in the third. Luke Esposito, who started at C on the fourth line, got a lot of ice time in the third period with the first line. Esposito showed his tireless work ethic throughout the game. He just missed scoring early in the second when he rang a shot off the crossbar. May have been the best forward on the ice for the home team.

6. It is obvious that getting one a goal a game is not a winning formula for a team. The Condors have got to find a way to fix the anemic scoring. Generating a lone shot on three power plays on Friday night was not good enough.

7. After the game, Condors' coach Jay Woodcroft said goaltender Stuart Skinner (down from Edmonton) has gone through quarantine protocol and could be an option for Saturday's rematch with Henderson.

8. Henderson (3-0-0, 14 goals for & five goals against) is pretty good.

GAME SUMMARY

1st Period

0:59: BAK - (PP) Quine, minor (slashing) 2:31: HSK - PPG Jurco (1) - O'Regan, Elvenes 2:46: HSK - (PP) Elvenes, minor (playing with broken stick) 13:59: BAK - Neimelainen (1) - Marody, Gravel 17:43: BAK - (PP) bench minor, too many men (served by Gambardella)

2nd Period

5:04: HSK - (PP) Korczak, minor (slashing) 9:38: HSK - (PP) Jone, minor (high-sticking)

3rd Period

8:54: HSK - Murphy (2) - O'Regan 19:59: HSK - ENG Brown (1) - Sikura

BOXSCORE

Henderson  1 - 0 - 2 = 3 Bakersfield  1 - 0 - 0 = 1

Shots

Henderson  10 - 5 - 10 = 25 Bakersfield  8 - 14 - 5 = 27

Goalies

HSK: Logan Thompson (26 saves - 27 shots) BAK: Olivier Rodrigue (22 saves - 24 shots)

Power Play

HSK: 1-for-2 BAK: 0-for-3

Penalty Kill

HSK: 3-for-3 BAK: 1-for-2