The Bakersfield Condors had to go shot for shot with one of the best teams in the AHL, The Tuscon Roadrunners and they managed to eek out a split series.
Taylor Beck was in Edmonton, and his absence was felt in the first game that saw the Condors show up as a depleted team due to call-ups and injuries. Beck returned and the Condors rode a strong performance in net from Laurent Brossoit to win a thriller in overtime.
The Condors had to sign LW Kellan Lain and D Bryce Aneloski to PTO’s to fill out their roster. Lain was previously acquired by the Oilers in 2014 in exchange for Will Acton, though he never made an impact with the big club, only playing in two games with the then Oklahoma City Barons. Aneloski was 7th round draft pick of the Ottawa Senators in 2010 that had scored seven assists in nine ECHL games with the Missouri Mavericks.
CURRENT DEPTH CHART
Ryan Hamilton – Jujhar Khaira – Taylor Beck
Scott Allen – Josh Currie – Joey Benik
Braden Christoffer – Kris Newbury – Patrick Russell
Mitch Moroz – Jere Sallinen – Kyle Platzer
Kellan Lain – Greg Chase – Joel Rechlicz
Jordan Oesterle – David Musil
Joey Laleggia – Griffin Reinhart
Ben Betker – Mark Fraser
Frankie Simonelli – Bryce Aneloski
Mikael Tam
Laurent Brossoit
Nick Ellis
ROADRUNNERS 3 CONDORS 0
The Condors had to insert Kellan Lain and Bryce Aneloski into the lineup to make up for absences from Jujhar Khaira, Griffin Reinhart, Jordan Oesterle and Jere Sallinen as well as being without Taylor Beck and Dillon Simpson on recall to the parent club in Edmonton.
Tucson littered the Condors net with an outstanding 38 shots, and rookie goaltender Nick Ellis turned away 35 of the 37 he faced to give his team a chance. The Condors however were unable to muster up half of the shots they allowed, firing 17 on the net that were all stopped by Roadrunners goaltender Adin Hill.
The Roadrunners saw goals from Brendan Perlini, Brandon Burlon and Michael Bunting to carrie out the win.
CONDORS 3 ROADRUNNERS 2 OT
Taylor Beck was returned to Bakersfield prior to the game and he made his presence count. Beck, along with a strong game from Laurent Brossoit powered the Condors to the win, evening their record to 5-5-0
Beck got the Condors on the board first, scoring his fourth goal of the season on a rebound off of a Joey Laleggia shot. Frankie Simonelli picked up the second assist.
Later in the opening period, Beck streaked down the right wing and sniped a shot past Adin Hill for his second of the game and fifth of the season. Kris Newbury and Joey Laleggia picked up the assists.
The second period saw the Roadrunners fire an incredible 17 shots on Laurent Brossoit but were unable to break the wall Laurent put up.
The Roadrunners got on the board when Brendan Perlini scored for the second straight games against the Condors.
With only 15 seconds remaining on the clock in the third period, Chris Mueller redirected a Craig Cunningham shot and broke the Condors hearts tying the game up, and sending it into overtime.
In the extra frame, Beck chipped the puck out of the zone and sent Josh Currie on a breakaway for a chance to win it for the Condors, and Currie made no mistake.
CURRENT STATS
Taylor Beck 9GP 5-10-15
Ryan Hamilton 10GP 3-6-9
Jujhar Khaira 4GP 4-3-7
Kris Newbury 9GP 3-2-5
Josh Currie 9GP 2-2-4
Scott Allen 10GP 2-2-4
Joey Laleggia 10GP 0-4-4
Joey Benik 9GP 3-0-3
Mitch Moroz 10GP 1-2-3
Patrick Russell 10GP 0-3-3
Matt Benning (X) 2GP 1-1-2
Jordan Oesterle 6GP 1-1-2
David Musil 8GP 0-2-2
Braden Christoffer 10GP 1-1-2
Frankie Simonelli 3GP 0-1-1
Jaedon Descheneau 4GP 0-1-1
Dillon Simpson (X) 7GP 1-0-1
Ben Betker 7GP 0-1-1
Jere Sallinen 9GP 1-0-1
Kyle Platzer 9GP 0-1-1
Mark Fraser 10GP 0-1-1
Bryce Aneloski 2GP 0-0-0
Kellan Lain 2GP 0-0-0
Joel Rechlicz 3GP 0-0-0
Griffin Reinhart 4GP 0-0-0
Greg Chase 4GP 0-0-0
Laurent Brossoit 5GP 2-3-0 2.41 .929
Nick Ellis 5GP 3-2-0 2.58 .928
TRIN’S THOUGHTS
-Taylor Beck is absolutely way too good to be toiling away in the AHL, and his recent recall may mean the Oilers are aware, but he’ll need to get out of a numbers game with Hendricks, Caggiula and Pakarinen getting close to returning to the lineup. Is Beck another Alexandre Giroux or could he be another Tyler Pitlick?
-Injuries are not only affecting the parent club, but the minor club as well. Khaira was off to a tremendous start but can’t seem to stay in the lineup. Reinhart and Oesterle’s injuries have to be concerning as well considering they are a big part of the Oilers depth on defense.
-It looks like coach Gerry Fleming is confident in both of his goaltenders with Ellis and Brossoit splitting starts so far to begin the season. Both have been really good and it looks like they’ll need to be because the Condors don’t seem to have a really good team.
-One can only hope that the Condors can get some decent AHL talent on their club once the Oilers get healthy. I think it would be best for Drake Caggiula to begin his return from injury in Bakersfield rather than learning the NHL game. Also, one would have to think that constant healthy scratch Anton Slepyshev will return to the AHL to tear up the league.
-I feel like Greg Chase has ticked off somebody in the organization because he is simply not getting a chance to play and instead the Condors have played AHL contracts Joel Rechlicz, Joey Benik, Josh Currie and Scott Allen ahead of him.
LOOKING AHEAD
The Condors will take on the Manitoba Moose on Wednesday the 16th, before taking on the Calgary Flames affiliate Stockton Heat on Saturday.
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