Pair Of OT Goals Propel Condors To Pacific Division Finals

Consider signing up for a subscription so we can continue to bring you exclusive first-reports, prospect features and stories from around the American Hockey League (AHL).

Quick. Easy. Support original journalism!

Consider signing up for a subscription so we can continue to bring you stories like this one and many more.

Sign up today, and support original journalism! Quick. Easy. -> http://www.insideahlhockey.com/subscribe

The Bakersfield Condors never led in the  AHL Pacific Division playoff series against the San Diego Gulls, but came away winners.

The Condors opened the best-of-three series against the Gulls with a 5-3 loss on Friday night. On Sunday, the Condors came from two goals down to tie the game on a goal by Luke Esposito with less than five minutes left in regulation then kept the series alive as Seth Griffith scored 49 seconds into overtime for a 3-2 win.

That set up what turned out to be the best game of the series on Monday night at Mechanic's Bank Arena.

Once again, the Condors played catch-up as Andrew Agozzino put the Gulls up 1-0 just 7:42 into the game. Adam Cracknell drew the Condors even 12:18 into the second.

After that, San Diego goaltender Lukas Dostal (who ended up making 43 saves) put on a clinic.

The Condors fired six more shots on him in the second then peppered him with 16 in the third, with Dostal making three huge saves over the final 3:12 to send the game to overtime.

Dostal stopped four more shots in overtime before Condors captain Brad Malone beat him from the left edge 7:36 into the extra frame for the series-clinching 2-1 victory.

"We found ourselves down 1-nothing but stuck with it," Condors coach Jay Woodcroft said. "I thought we took over the game at probably the midpoint of the second period. Gave up very few shots on net, but a couple prime chances where Stuart Skinner stood tall for us. We really took it to them in the third period, but were unable to crack their goaltender who had a heck of a game and a heck of a series.

"I didn't love our start to overtime, but we simplified a few things and stuck with it. That's reflective on the leadership of our team, the character of the group, the never-say-die attitude. I don't think we led for one minute in this series but we never felt sorry for ourselves. We just stuck with it, stuck with it, stuck with it. We felt if we worked harder and longer than the other team eventually they would crack. It took two overtime games to get it done."

Thus, the Condors, who never held a lead during the series, are heading to Vegas to play the Henderson Silver Knights in the Pacific Division Final.

"That's a big one," Malone said of his goal. "The family was in the building tonight. Banks (his three-year old son) is old enough to be aware of what's going on. It's pretty awesome."

The Pacific Division is the only one participating in AHL playoffs and players reportedly voted strongly against any playoffs.

As for the playoffs, such as they are, and the tight games, Malone said: "I think it's great. I think that's why we're doing these games here. To have guys be in that situation, to learn from it and get better and develop. That's probably what they wanted and that's what they got."

"(The Gulls) played great. It could have gone either way."

The Gulls had the pedigree with a bevy of highly-drafted players, including center Trevor Zegras (ninth overall in 2019) and defenseman Jamie Drysdale (sixth overall in 2020).

"It's not like we were going against a team that barely made the playoffs," Woodcroft said. "San Diego is littered with first-round draft picks and one-way contracts. Our team was committed to trying to out work them, out grease them."

The Condors did just that, led by the veterans.

Seth Griffith (eighth season, 79 NHL games), Adam Cracknell (15th season, 210 NHL games) and Malone (10th season, 199 NHL games) accounted for five of Bakersfield’s eight goals.

"Outstanding people who I hold in the highest esteem," Woodcroft said of the team's veteran players. "You get to see the product on the ice, I get to see the day in, day out on the ice, off the ice effort that these players put in. The effort that they put in to be proud Condors, to represent the city with as much enthusiasm as they can. To see them perform the way they did in this series, I'm very proud of them."

"That's just the small picture. The big picture, the effect of what these men do on a daily basis, the effect that has on a first-year hockey player in the American Hockey League or a second-year player, it's amazing. They do it on a daily basis and they show the way to our younger players."

Malone said the Condors have a large leadership group.

"It’s just kind of a committee thing here," the Condors' captain said. "Not just me as an older guy. We have six, seven, eight guys who have been around for quite some time. Some guys are looking to get to the NHL, other guys are kind of relishing that role of being role models and leading by example."

AHL Pacific Division Finals: Bakersfield (Edmonton) vs Henderson (Vegas)

Per the AHL's press release, the series will open on Wednesday night and will be played at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Game 2 will be either Thursday or Friday, depending on the result of Wednesday’s Vegas-Minnesota Stanley Cup Playoff game.

Game 1: Wed., May 26 - Bakersfield vs. Henderson, 7:00 PDT Game 2: Thu., May 27 or Fri., May 28 - Henderson vs. Bakersfield, 7:00 PDT Game 3: Sat., May 29 - Bakersfield vs. Henderson, time TBD (if necessary)

All games at Las Vegas, NV.