The Bakersfield Condors go 2-2-0 in the last 4

Last Wednesday night started an 8 game stretch that I thought we could use to gain some points in the standings. After the first 4 of those games, I may have been wrong.

The Bakersfield Condors remain in 4th place in a 5-team division. Although all the teams in this division are playing sub par the rest of the league, the Condors are struggling to keep themselves from the Pacific Division basement. Only 1 team is below us in the standings, Stockton, and we play them for the first time in the regular season in about a week.

The Stanley Cup made its way to Bakersfield last week when the Bakersfield Condors played the Johnstown Chiefs. Getting a picture with the cup was the highlight of the game.

The visiting team was a poor representation of an East Coast team. They couldn’t pass, shoot, capitalize, or score with any regularity. With all of this against them, the Condors still took the game to overtime. Yes, we did win, but in a shootout. I couldn’t imagine that the constant trips to overtime are helping with the confidence of the Bakersfield Condors.

We took our East Coast trip this last weekend. Originally we were to play the Texas Wildcatters, but due to Hurricane Rita, the Wildcats are sitting dormant for the season. Instead, we played the Pensacola Ice Pilots for 3 games in 3 nights.

We lost the first 2 games in regulation, failing to capitalize on the fact that the Pilots are the worst team in their division. Our back up goalie played both of those games. For the 3rd game, our first string goalie had recovered from an ear infection and brought us a win.

I wouldn’t go as far as to say that the goalie situation was a huge factor in this 3 game set. The 1st stringer is a rookie and is still learning. He’s just getting a bit more ice time than the other guy right now. Both of them still worry me.

The road ahead finds us playing the Stockton Thunder, a new team in our division, the San Diego Gulls, and the new Phoenix Roadrunners. On a good day we should be able to pull out wins from all of these games. So far this season, we haven’t seen very many good days. After 17 games the Bakersfield Condors are 6-7-4. Haven’t been able to keep above the .500 mark for long period of time.

That is starting to ware on me as a fan. No. I’m not leaving, I just get tired of the disappointment a bit quicker than most. Last Wednesday I actually left the game early.
What we wouldn’t give to see our team make a good run for the division championship. As much as I want to see the Kelly Cup in Bakersfield, I would settle for a Pacific Division champion’s banner hanging in the Garden. I guess I have to remind myself that unlike Tacoma and Colorado Springs, we still have a hockey team. Mediocre hockey is much better than no hockey.

Radioman