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1. Home ice advantage comes at a price for Alaska Aces

   BY MIKE GRIFFITH

   Wednesday, Apr 25 2012 12:53 PM

   In the strange and wacky world of minor league sports, in this case the ECHL, "home-ice advantage" in the playoffs often comes at a price.

   Consider all first-round matchups in the Western conference where the top-seeded teams can only get "home-ice advantage" in the best-of-five matchups by starting the first two games on the road. Ask Colorado and Ontario how that worked out.

   Anyway, fast forward to the Conference Finals pitting the top-seeded Alaska Aces against the Las Vegas Wranglers. Alaska sat out the first round by virtue of being atop the Western Conference at the end of the regular season then blew past Stockton 4 games to 1 to set up the series against the Wranglers, who are 7-1 in postseason play.

   And the Wranglers get to start the best-of-seven-series on thier home ice.

   Conflicts at Sullivan Arena in Anchorage (graduation ceremonies) and at Orleans Arena in Las Vegas (a motocross) has resulted in a bizarre 2-4-1 format -- the first two in Las Vegas, the next four in Anchorage and a Game 7, of needed, back in Las Vegas.

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2. Chicago Express derailed, team ceases operation

   Missed this when it broke as I was vacationing, but on the same day, Good Friday, the ECHL announced that it had surpassed three million fans in attendance for the 19th straight season, there was also an release pointing out that minor league hockey as a business is not easy: The Chicago Express ceased operations after one season.

3. Rookie, NHL vet lead Condors resurgence

   Three-quarters of the way into the ECHL season, the Condors have emerged.
    A rookie forward who couldn't even crack the lineup earlier this season when the Condors seldom found ways to win games, is leading the way.
   Parker Stanfield had a goal and an assist to run his point streak to 11 games, fifth longest in the league this season, as the Condors beat the Utah Grizzles 4-2 on Tuesday night at Rabobank Arena.
   The win was the third straight for the Condors, who are 7-2-0-1 over their last 10.
   Compare that to 10-32-4-1 through their first 47 games and then ask what is the difference.
   Sure, Stanfield’s emergence from a raw rookie rookie who could not get ice time to one who gets all he wants now has a lot to do with it.
   But it is an entire team that oozes confidence these days and from this vantage point it all started to change on Feb. 3 when NHL vet Kyle Calder, who had brief stints with the Condors the past two seasons, joined the team.
   Bakersfield lost the first two games with Calder in the lineup, but just two in regulation since.
   “It makes a huge different to have a veteran like that, almost (600) games in the NHL,” Stanfield said. “He comes around the locker room, teaches guys the right things to do. I wish we had him earlier. He's been  a great asset to our team. Having that veteran guy has been a big difference and (instilled) a lot of confidence in us.”
   Stanfield has 17 points in his last 11 games and Calder quietly has amassed nine points (6 goals, three assists) in 12 games.
   A lot of those goals, and those from other Condors players are coming from close range and everyone now seems to be driving to the net. It’s no coincidence that the sudden rash of players with a nose for the net, came after Calder showed up and planted his body in front of the net from the very get go.
   Calder’s savvy on-ice presence is easily noticed. What’s not seen is what happens off the ice.
   “He's that calming influence we didn't have the first half of the season,” Condors coach Matt O’Dette said. “When games are tight in the third period he can be that guy to calm guys down in the room and on the bench. He's been great for us.”
   The Condors have just 15 games left to play and are 13 points behind Idaho (where they play three games next week) for the final playoff position. It’s certainly a longshot to make up that much ground, but a month ago it’s doubtful anyone though the Condors could real off seven wins in 10 games.

4. Tough guy Lefebvre coming to Bakersfield

   When NHL veteran Kyle Calder left for big money in Russia right after Christmas, Condors coach Marty Raymond decided he wanted another veteran to replace him.

5. Tordjman heading to Houston

   Bakersfield goaltender Josh Tordjman has been recalled to Houston of the American Hockey League and will be with the Aeros on Saturday night. “He deserves it, he's done a good job for us,” Condors coach Marty Raymond said. “He came in here, worked his butt off and never complained.”

6. AHL Phantoms loan goaltender to Bakersfield

   The Adirondack Phantoms have announced that goalie Brian Stewart has been loaned to the Condors.

7. Late arriving Vegas delays Friday night game

   Update 8:19: We are playing hockey!

9. Fourth straight loss results in post-game skate

   The Condors looked like a team in the midst of a nasty losing string on Wednesday night at Rabobank Arena, suffering a second-period collapse and falling to the Utah Grizzlies 4-2.

10. Raymond upbeat after split iin Utah

    After winning 5-0 on Friday night, leaving with a split from Utah after a 6-4 loss on Saturday isn’t exactly what the Condors wanted, but coach Marty Raymond is still looking more at overall performance and not totally at Ws and Ls at this early stage of the season and liked what he saw.
    The Condors, skating two players short, fell behind 4-1, battled back to tie the game but gave up the game-winner midway through the third period and an empty netter with a few seconds left.
    “We battled back with two top players missing (J.D. Corbin and Rylan Kaip)  and a stretch of seven straight penalty calls against us that made an impact in the game” Raymond said. “I was pleased with the way the guys battled back. Down 4-1 we never gave up and I like that quality in a club.”
    The Condors return home on Sunday then head to Vegas on Thursday to face the Wranglers. They host Stockton on Friday night and Alaska on Saturday night.
     

11. Morency, a supreme agitator, lands in Bakersfield

    He won’t be in action this weekend as the Condors play on Friday and Saturday nights in Utah,  but a player coach Marty Raymond had been courting since summertime — Pascal Morency — is now a Condor.
    Morency (5-foot-10, 197 pounds) has been assigned to the team by the Houston Aeros and is now in Bakersfield.
    In a word, Morency is an agitator, although the noun doesn’t really do justice to how easily he can infuriate opposing players.  Morency, 28,  played for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers in the AHL the past threes seasons, racking up 416 penalty minutes in 105 games (and totaled eight points for good measure)  That’s nothing compared to his 2001-02 junior campaign with the  Cape Breton Screaming Eagle where he racked up 596 penalty minutes in 64 games.
    Oh yes, Mr. Morency can get underneath the skin of other players.
    He was in AHL training camp earlier this season with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and recently agreed to a two-way contract with the Aeros.
    He is sure to make an impression in his first home game for the Condors on Oct.  29 against the Stockton Thunder.
     

12. Condors reacquire Calder, but will suspend him

    The Victoria Salmon Kings, who claimed Kyle Calder off waivers when the was released by the Condors last week, traded him back to the Condors on Tuesday.
    But, as was the case in training camp, don’t look for the 10-year National Hockey League veteran forward to be on the ice any time soon for the Condors. Condors coach Marty Raymond said he is suspending Calder, making him ineligible to play for Bakersfield for 45 days.
    The move, however, does make him property of the Condors, should he desire to play in the ECHL later this season. Raymond said it looks as if Calder will be heading to Europe.
     

13. Turcotte released, Ryan added on eve of opener

    The Condors released rookie defenseman Yan Turcotte on Friday to clear roster space for Saturday night’s ECHL opener at home against the Las Vegas Wranglers. Turcotte’s departure opened up space to add defenseman Joey Ryan, who was acquired from Elmira earlier this week. Ryan, who turns 23 on Tuesday, was a second-round draft pick by Los Angeles in 2006.
     

14. Two cuts made, Lizon suspended for a game

    Coach Marty Raymond trimmed his roster by two Monday morning as he released defenseman Kevin Igier and forward Braden Walls as the team prepares for its ECHL opener at home against the Las Vegas Wranglers on Saturday night.
    That still leaves too many players but Raymond has until Wednesday to submit his opening day roster to the league.
    Last year’s leading scorer, Stephane Goulet, got in his first practice with the Condors this season on Monday and forward J.P. Chabot, acquired in a trade with Gwinnett, is expected to arrive on Wednesday.
    Raymond is still awaiting on the assignment of a goaltender from the Houston Aeros (Peter Hirsch is the only pro goalie in camp and has played very well) and there could be other deals in progress.
    “If I have to make some moves, I will,” Raymond said, noting that forward Bobby Robins and defenseman J.F. David are slated to start the season on 21-day injured reserve.
    Also, forward Eric Lizon has been suspended one game by the league and will miss the opener after delivering a blow to the head of Las Vegas goaltender Michael Ouzas in Saturday night's preseason game against Las Vegas.
    Ouzas was playing the puck behind the net as Lizon, being pushed by a Wrangler, made contact with Ouzas. Lizon was given a 5-minute major penalty and an automatic game misconduct for elbowing.
    “There’s a new emphasis on hits to the head, it’s a new NHL rule,” Raymond noted. (Lizon’s) elbow was up and Ouzas’ helmet came off.”