‘Best time of the year’ starts now
Condors in AHL playoffs for 5th straight season
The emotions of a big win and storybook finish to the regular-season final on Saturday night are in the rearview mirror for the Bakersfield Condors, and the focus is now clearly on the task at hand: Beating the Ontario Reign in the opening round of the American Hockey League playoffs.
But, oh, what a night it was on Saturday at Mechanics Bank Arena. It was Fan Appreciation night, but it was actually Condors captain Brad Malone appreciation night as he will retire at the end of the season. There were tribute videos, highlight reels and a 5-3 win over Henderson — the final goal coming from Malone — all in front of a packed house of 8,000 fans.
“We talked about it this morning,” Condors coach Colin Chaulk said after a Monday morning practice. “Bugsy (Malone) was the first to say let’s keep it going. It’s business as usual.”
“We set the tone with a good meeting from Coach,” said goaltender Jack Campbell, who was in net for the win Saturday. “Everybody had a great time Saturday. Bugsy was amazing and he’s looking forward to being a big piece of our team through the playoff run.”
The playoffs could certainly be considered “business as usual” for the Condors, who are in postseason play for the fifth straight time.
Their opponent was determined Sunday when Ontario lost to Colorado to set up the AHL version of the NHL first-round matchup between the Edmonton Oilers and Los Angeles Kings.
But unlike a seven-game NHL series (Edmonton won Game
1 on Monday night), the AHL series is just a best-of-three affair, starting tonight in Ontario. Game 2 will be in Bakersfield on Saturday night and Game 3, if necessary, back in Ontario on Sunday.
Not much separated the Reign and Condors in the reg
ular season. Bakersfield outscored Ontario 28-23 but went 3-4-1 (2-2 on the road) against Ontario.
“At this time of year everyone is going to finish their checks, everyone is going to block shots (and) everyone is going to give everything they have,” Chaulk said. “They’re a good team; we’re a good team. We’re pretty close in special-team play, pretty close in five on five. It’s going to be a tight series.”
Campbell and Olivier Rodrigue have rotated starts much of this season, and Chaulk said the plan is to have both play although he would not say who would start tonight’s game.
Both goaltenders are among the top 10 in save percentage in the AHL — Campbell at .918, Rodrigue at .916.
But Campbell, a 13-year veteran who struggled at the start of the season in Edmonton and was sent down to the Condors, is by far the more seasoned playoff competitor. Rodrigue has one game of playoff experience. Campbell has 13 at the AHL level and 18 in the NHL, including four last season with the Oilers.
“Obviously intensity goes up,” Campbell said of the new season. “It’s all about controlling your emotions. Playoffs are the best time of the year. Everybody is a little bit chippier, doing whatever you can to get under the other team’s skin. And doing it without penalizing your team. Emotions are super high and typically the team that controls that comes out on top.
“The physical side of things, as we’ve already seen in the NHL, goes way up. It’s exciting. Everybody just wants to win and they are doing everything to try and help their team.”
Asked if some of that extra contact is directed at goaltenders, Campbell said: “Definitely. The emphasis of finishing at the crease and making it hard on the goalie, whether it’s screening or just getting in the face of the goalie is pretty common around every league in playoffs. It’s a fun time. A little extra contact; it’s always enjoyable.”