TheBakersfieldCalifornian.com

For most teams, power plays are golden opportunities.

For the Condors, power plays are a study in frustration.

The Condors had the opportunity to win a game with the power play on Friday night at Rabobank Arena only to see the Ontario Reign do just that.

Bakersfield failed to score on a power play early in overtime and Ontario came back to score a power-play goal 2:21 into the extra frame for a 2-1 win before 6,021.

The Condors have the worst power play in the ECHL at under 15 percent and went 0-for-6 on Friday. Three power plays came in the final period with the last extending 1:25 into overtime.

The game ended on a redirection by Ontario’s Derek Couture shortly after Bakersfield's Justin Pender was called for cross-checking.

“It wasn't the smartest penalty,” conceded Bakersfield coach Matt O'Dette. “I don’t know if that guy was waiting to feel the stick on his back and diving into the boards. That guy is known to flop on the ice, much like a lot of their guys.

“But they capitalized on their power play in overtime and we didn't. That was the difference.”

Bryan Pitton, two nights after giving up six goals against the Aces, was back in the form that produced a shutout a week ago as he stopped 35 shots.

“He played great,” O'Dette said.  “Tons of bigs saves. It would have been nice to get one for him. We had chances there at the end.”

The Reign is 8-1 against the Condors (10-28-4), who have lost a league-high 16 games by one goal.

The Condors dug an early hole with penalties as the Reign’s Chris Huxley scored on a two-man advantage 5:04 into the game. Bakersfield killed another Ontario two-man advantage later in the period in which it managed just one shot on goal.
The Condors rebounded with a strong second period, firing 13 shots at Ontario goaltender Chris Carrozi and tying the game on Alex Hudson's first professional goal.

That came 16 minutes into the period after Eric Trupp created a turnover deep in the Ontario zone and fed a pass to  Hudson in the low slot.

“That’s the style of goal we need,” O'Dette said. “We got in on the forecheck, created a turnover, got to the net and got rewarded. It was nice to see him get his first pro goal. Hopefully there will be many more to come.”

Bakersfield went on power plays at 1:19; 7:08 and 19:24 of the third period and combined did not get three shots on net from them.

“They have a good penalty kill.” O’Dette said of the Reign. “They seem to have us figured out. We didn’t get enough shots to the net. We had our sets and didn’t execute them. We need more pucks to the net. There’s no sense in having guys in front (of the net) if we don’t get it there. We had a lot of shots blocked.”

Notes

• Forward Ian McKenzie went down early in the third period and suffered a serious knee injury after what appeared to be a knee-on-knee hit with an Ontario player. “His knee is in bad shape, long term,” O'Dette said.

• With McKenzie out, the Condors will be short one forward tonight as Peter Boyd, Chris Kushneruik and Ryan Annesley are all on injured reserve due to concussions.

• The ZOOperstars, 10-foot tall mascot characters  including Squidney Crosby, LeBronco James, Shaquille O'Seal, Harry Canary, Dick Flytale and Shark McGwire, will entertain fans during tonight's intermissions.