In a thrilling Friday night matchup, the Bakersfield Condors found themselves edged out by the Calgary Wranglers in a 5-4 overtime heartbreaker at Dignity Health Arena. The game, attended by 5,742 fans, marked the fourth overtime clash in their seven-game season series.
The Condors kicked things off with an early lead, courtesy of Seth Griffith, who capitalized on a misplayed centering feed at 5:48. Calgary responded just before the first intermission with a slick tic-tac-toe passing play to level the score.
Bakersfield regained momentum in the second period. Alec Regula netted his first goal, finishing a partial three-on-one, followed by Ethan Keppen's deft redirect of a point shot, pushing the Condors ahead 3-1. The Wranglers, however, managed a shorthanded goal in the closing minutes of the period, narrowing the gap to 3-2.
Calgary tied it up at 3-3 in the third, but the Condors weren't done. Atro Leppanen found the back of the net on a power play, putting Bakersfield ahead once more. Yet, with the clock winding down, Martin Frk's extra attacker goal forced the game into overtime, where the Wranglers sealed the win just 31 seconds in.
James Hamblin, assisting on Griffith's goal, extended his point streak to nine games, showcasing his consistent playmaking with seven goals and five assists. Meanwhile, Samuel Poulin's assist in the second period pushed his own streak to five games. Matt Savoie also made an impact in his season debut, contributing an assist.
The Condors continue to battle fiercely, with standout performances and tight contests like this one promising an exciting season ahead.