The Condors beat Stockton, Bogdan Yakimov’s Departure, and more

LINEUP

FIRST PERIOD

• Griffin Reinhart opens the game with a horrendous giveaway, trying a cross-ice pass in his own zone toward Anton Slepyshev, but Kenny Agostino is right there and forces Condors goalie Ty Rimmer to make a save right off the bat.

• Back-checking on a 2-on-1, Mitch Moroz slashes the stick out of the Heat player’s hands and he’s sent off. On the PK, Rimmer makes a good stop on Bryce Van Brabant and another on a one-timer by Kenney Morrison.
• Shortly after being shorthanded, the Condors get a chance as the puck is along the boards then tossed into the slot where Matthew Ford is all alone but Ortio flashes out the glove.
• Kale Kessy makes a good read to pick off a clearing attempt at the Stockton blue line. He gets the puck to Braden Christoffer down deep who then flicks it to Josh Currie but his shot is off the mark.

• Moroz makes like a wide receiver as catches a high pass over the middle and fends off a tackler to get clear for a hard shot on Ortio.
• Rimmer comes up big by getting his toe on a close-in poke off the stick of Emile Poirier.
• The LaLeggia-Roy-Chase line continue their lunch-pail work behind the net and LaLeggia just misses on a high backhand. Of note, this is Roy’s first game at centre since last season which was his final year of junior.

SECOND PERIOD

• Bakersfield goes on the power play just 29 seconds in and interestingly it kicks off with Moroz, Chase and Slepyshev up front with Reinhart and LaLeggia manning the point. LaLeggia’s shot from the high slot is stopped and Moroz can’t get a swipe at the loose puck by the goal post.

• Kessy makes like a bull and runs through Flames high-end prospect Oliver Kylington deep in the Stockton zone.

• The Heat think they’ve answered right back on the power play but Poirier’s goal is waved off as Rimmer was bumped in the crease.
• Moroz gets going on a partial breakaway off the wing and guns a slapper that Ortio stops. Moroz has a crack at the rebound but puts it off the side of the net. Right after that, Chase tips a pass from the behind net right to Roy who just misses tucking it in.

• A rough outing for Kylington continues as Kyle Platzer bumps him off the puck inside the Stockton zone and then puts a hot shot off Ortio’s mask.

THIRD PERIOD

• Rimmer makes a smart read as instead of chasing towards a puck, he waits in his net and makes a good stop on Ryan Lomberg who beat the Condors back at the Bakersfield blue line.

• The best battle of the night. Christoffer is knocked down on a hard bump by Agostino. Christoffer gets up and returns fire, knocking Agostinto down twice. Christoffer then dishes out a slash that is called. On the delay and with the Heat headed up ice, Agostino strides to the bench but on his way he slashes the stick out of Gernat’s hands and he’s whistled as well.
• There’s rarely good open-ice hits in 4-on-4 but Hunt connects with a solid hip check on Van Brabant in front of the Stockton bench.

• The Heat put some pressure on for about 10 seconds. That might be because the officials miss that there’s six Stockton skaters on the ice until the Bakersfield bench finally gets them to notice. Nothing on the ensuing Bakersfield PP.
• Stockton’s Freddie Hamilton looks pretty childish sitting on the ice and slamming his stick after a non-call. Seconds after that, Chase is called for a hook but Lomberg negates a Heat PP as he is tagged for embellishment.

1. Brad Hunt – Bakersfield
2. Matthew Ford – Bakersfield
3. Bryce Van Brabant – Stockton

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