Condors leave ice with 4-2 loss to Canucks

The odds are long, but the Bakersfield Condors could still be hosting games as the American Hockey League playoffs get under way next week.

But to do so they will need lots of help from the Manitoba Moose.

The Condors needed a win on Tuesday night in Abbotsford, British Columbia to control their own destiny but left the ice with a 4-2 loss to the Canucks.

That means the Condors, who play their final regular season game at home on Saturday against Stockton, can not pass Colorado for third-place in the division.

For the Condors to finish fourth (and get home ice) it would take Abbotsford losing in regulation in Manitoba on Thursday and Saturday and the Condors would have to beat Stockton on Saturday.

The first-round playoffs are a short three-game series. A fifthplace finish would leave Bakersfield playing all three games in either Abbotsford or Colorado. If Abbotsford earns just one of the four points available in Manitoba the Condors would travel to Abbotsford. Two points by the Canucks send the Condors to Colorado. A fourth-place finish would have the Condors hosting all three against Abbotsford as they have the tiebreaker against the Canucks.

As for Tuesday’s game, the Condors broke on top as Seth Griffith banged in a rebound 6:15 into the first. That tied him with Joe Gambardella (201819) for most goals in AHL team history. Abbotsford’s Sheldon Rempal answered at 7:11 to tie the game.

“Our first period we killed two penalties and aside from not getting many shots on the goal (nine) I think it was actually a decent road period,” Condors head coach Colin Chaulk said. “The second period we really lost momentum and it was hard to regain it.”

Abbotsford scored early (Matt Alfaro at 2:19) and late (with 25 seconds left by Madison Bowey) in the second to take control of the game.

“The third period we played better, we played together. We had a couple of good chances. We needed to test them more.”

The Condors generated just eight shots on goal in the third and 23 for the entire game. Stuart Skinner yielded four goals on 32 shots.

The Canucks sealed the deal with 4:03 left on Rempal’s second of the game. Adam Cracknell scored with 2:19 left for the final margin.

Of concern for the Condors was the loss of defenseman Vinny Desharnais and forward Colton Sceviour, who both missed the majority of the third period.

Chaulk had no updates on their condition right after the game as he had not yet talked to the medical staff.