Seth Griffith and Raphael Lavoie celebrate Griffith’s goal against the San Jose Barracuda on Friday MAR 11, 2023. (Bakersfield Condors)

by Marko Ukalovic

The Bakersfield Condors blitzed the San Jose Barracuda with five unanswered goals including a hat trick from Seth Griffith in a 6-2 crushing victory on Saturday evening at Mechanics Bank Arena.

San Jose had its two-game winning streak snapped. Bakersfield went back up five points on San Jose for seventh place and the final playoff spot in the Pacific Division.

It was a reversal of fortune for the home team as they turned the tables to split the two-game series. The night before they were dominated by San Jose in almost the same fashion.

Bakersfield (27-26-2-2-58 points) drew first blood halfway through the first period. Greg McKegg stole the puck behind the San Jose net and centered a pass to an open Seth Griffith and the veteran forward buried a one-timer past ‘Cuda goalie Aarond Dell for his 14th goal of the season at the 9:45 mark.

San Jose (24-28-1-4-53 points) evened the score just under four minutes later. Thomas Bordeleau made a power move around a Condors defender. Bordelaeu’s shot was blocked but ‘Cuda captain Andrew Agozzino cleaned up the rebound sliding the puck past Condor’s goalie Calvin Pickard for his team leading 22nd goal of the season at the 13:24 mark.

The Condors regained the lead late in the opening 20 minutes on the man advantage. After Cam Dineen kept the puck inside the ‘Cuda zone, James Hamblin sent a cross ice pass over to Raphael Lavoie who snapped home a wrist shot past Dell for his 21st goal of the season at the 18:52 mark.

Bakersfield dominated the first period as the outshot San Jose 22-4.

Lavoie scored his second goal of the game with an even strength goal early in the second period. Lavoie had a give and go with Griffith, and he used a ‘Cuda defender as a screen to roof a wrist shot past Dell for his team leading 22nd goal at the 6:40 mark.

A controversial play led to Bakersfield third unanswered goal of the middle frame. Nick Cicek was apparently tripped up at his own blue line by Griffth. The officials let the play continue with no penalty on the play and Griffith skated in on a breakaway and beat Dell with a backhander for his second goal of the game and 15th of the season at the 14:40 mark.

Noah Philp gave Bakersfield a 5-1 lead just under three minutes later when he scored his 14th goal of the season with a shot top shelf to the short side at the 17:34 mark.

‘Cuda head coach replaced Dell in the net with backup goalie Strauss Mann to start the third period in attempt to shake things up as his team floundered during the first 40 minutes of the game. Dell (10-12-1) allowed five goals on 33 shots.

Griffith completed his hat trick with a 5-on-3 power play goal at the 11:01 mark of the final frame.

Darren Brady picked up his third goal of the season at the 14:03 mark when he finished off a pass from Brandon Coe with a wrist shot that beat Pickard.

Pickard (17-9-2) stopped 27 of the 29 shots he faced to earn the victory. Mann made seven saves on eight shots in mop up duty for the ‘Cuda.

GAME NOTES: San Jose finished 0-for-6 on the power play. Bakersfield went 2-for-6.

The Three Stars of the Game were: 1) Griffith 2) Lavoie 3) Jason Demers

UP NEXT: San Jose returns home to host the Henderson Silver Knights on Wednesday at 10:30am at Tech CU Arena.