BRYAN WILSON – 04.05.2024
Got the ‘W’.
The Wranglers defeated the Condors 5-2 at Mechanics Bank Arena in Bakersfield on Friday night.
Mitch McLain notched his 15th goal of the season, while William Stromgren had a three-point night with a goal and two assists.
Rory Kerins lit the lamp for the Wranglers, Jakob Pelletier added a goal and an assist, Brett Sutter added an empty-netter and Jordan Oesterle added two helpers.
Connor Murphy (4-2-2-1) turned aside 34 of 36 shots for the win between the pipes.
The Condors opened the scoring at the 4:16 mark of the first period.
Raphael Lavoie walked over the Wranglers’ blueline and spotted Sam Gagne who one-timed a shot into the top of the net.
1-0 Condors.
The Wranglers would respond at the 14:30 mark, with both teams skating 4-on-4, McLain picked up the puck in front of the net and spun around, sliding the puck through the pads of Olivier Rodrigue
1-1 the break.
Moose in front! pic.twitter.com/dCd47rB6vo
— x – Calgary Wranglers (@AHLWranglers) April 6, 2024
Calgary added to their lead with three unanswered goals in the second period.
At 4:05, Stromgren tipped home his seventh goal of the season to put the Wranglers ahead 2-1.
Stromgren in front! pic.twitter.com/3Gvd2OIpt6
— x – Calgary Wranglers (@AHLWranglers) April 6, 2024
Things got physical at 8:45 of the frame, when Matt Wedman and Max Wanner stepped out of their respective penalty boxes and dropped the mitts, in response to an earlier hit.
It’s Tilly Time! 💪
Wedman vs Wanner pic.twitter.com/x4aa5TiIwu
— x – Calgary Wranglers (@AHLWranglers) April 6, 2024
Then, at the 15:44 mark, Kerins pounced on the puck off the backboards and wired a shot past Rodrigue to make it 3-1.
Kerins cleans up! pic.twitter.com/FUMwbMREv3
— x – Calgary Wranglers (@AHLWranglers) April 6, 2024
With 25-seconds remaining in the period, Pelletier collected the puck in the neutral zone and ripped up the ice on a breakaway, chipping the puck up and over Rodrigue and into the top corner.
4-1 Wranglers at the break.
Pelletier on the breakaway! pic.twitter.com/hT8RehKPR0
— x – Calgary Wranglers (@AHLWranglers) April 6, 2024
In the third period – on a powerplay at 10:54 – Seth Griffith faked a shot and sent a pass to Lane Pederson who blasted his 22nd goal of the season to cut into the lead. 4-2.
However, Sutter scored into the empty net at the 19:44 mark to seal it for the Wranglers.
