Condors hand the Heat their third straight loss

STOCKTON, Calif. – The Stockton Heat fell to the Bakersfield Condors in their first regular season match up with a final 2-1 score. Dressed in their Hot Pink I awareness sweaters and playing on pink ice, they played before only 4,124 fans at the Stockton Arena.

Pink Ice, before the fans get to stream in – Photo by Jack Lima

The Condors pulled out in the second period with a two goal lead and it took until the third period for the Heat’s Markus Granlund to score their only goal. The Condors dominated the ice for the first two periods, but the Heat tried to turn the table in the third period with more energy, but Laurent Brossoit in the Condor’s net kept the puck at bay.

(L-R) Anton Slepyshev Turner Elson Brad Hunt and Bryce Van Brabant fight for puck pocession – Photo by Jack Lima

Stockton’s Jon Gillies had a great first period, but it was evident after an acrobatic save late in the period, that he was experiencing some pain. He never returned to the ice following the first intermission.

Austin Carroll (20) deflects the puck off of his chest – Photo by Jack Lima

Kent Simpson assumed the role for the Heat at the opening of the second period. He had not appeared in a Heat game this season, but was fresh from a pair of wins before being called up from the Adirondack Thunder. Condor’s Matthew Ford and Brad Hunt each scored a goal in the second period.

Bill Arnold tries to tip the puck past Condors goalie Laurent Brossoit – Photo by Jack Lima

Simpson settled in during the third period, stopping everything that the Condors could throw at him, but Brossoit would earn the win with 31 saves in the net.

Following the game, Coach Ryan Huska said that Gillies would be day-to-day for now, but did not indicate whether Simpson would get the start in Saturday’s match.

Emile Poirier (21) tries to control the puck in the corner – Photo by Jack Lima

The Heat (2-4-0-1) return to the ice on Saturday to take on the Ontario Reign (6-1-2). The Reign has been unstoppable in regular time, their only loss coming in overtime.