Jack Campbell has a nightmare in goal for the Bakersfield Condors as they lose 4-0 to the Canucks in Abbotsford, for their third consecutive defeat.
Looking to rediscover his form in Bakersfield at the AHL level, Jack Campbell instead appears to be in a free fall. For a second consecutive game in Abbotsford he allowed four goals, as the Condors were blanked 4-0 by the Canucks.
Whilst appreciating a lot of professional hockey players are millionaires, it’s still tough not to sometimes feel sorry for them. Especially in the case of Campbell, who is a well-liked person in general.
The 31-year-old had lost his Condors debut on Thursday night, in a 4-1 defeat to the Canucks. His outing was ‘highlighted’ by allowing two short-handed goals and somehow letting a soft, trickling shot get between him and the post for another score.
The Condors’ lineup on Saturday night was notable for the return of Lane Pederson and Drake Caggiula, who had missed a combined nine games through injury. Meanwhile, the Canucks countered with the same lineup which had beaten the visitors in their previous meeting.
The rematch at Abbotsford Centre started off fairly evenly, as the Condors had a slight 6-5 advantage in shots on goal during the first period. However, the opening 20 minutes finished with the score tied at 0-0.
The hosts finally broke through at the 8:31 mark of the second period, after a turnover by the Condors in enemy territory. Max Sasson split two defenders as he latched onto a pinpoint pass and calmly fired home past Campbell, for his fourth goal of the AHL season.
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Within six minutes it was 2-0 to the Canucks, as Aatu Räty guided home a deflected shot at the far post. In Campbell’s defence, it should be noted there was little he could have done about either goal.
Regardless, the Condors entered the final 20 minutes down by two and searching for a response. On the night however, they couldn’t even score on the power play, going 0-for-4 in the process.
It was almost a case of déjà vu on the Canucks’ third goal. The Condors again turned the puck over, this time to Sasson himself, and he scored his second of the night on another breakaway to make it 3-0 with less than eight minutes remaining.
The hosts completed the scoring at the 15:28 mark of the third period, courtesy of Sheldon Dries’ sixth goal of the season. He was a recipient of a pinpoint pass from Arshdeep Bains, who sliced through the Conors defence like a hot knife through butter.
Overall, it has to be stressed that the 4-0 loss is not on Campbell at all, but he seems to have brought his bad luck to the Condors. The team has gone from their best ever start to an AHL season through five games, to losing three consecutive times.
With the loss, the Condors drop to 4-4-0 on the season and remain in eighth position in the Pacific Division standings. Next up they travel to Calgary on Tuesday night, for the first of back-to-back games versus the high-flying Wranglers.