Condors dominate Eagles 6-1 as they move up Pacific Division standings

Following an 0-3 start to March, the Condors are on a roll with three consecutive wins. One night after outfighting the Eagles 3-1, they managed to score an even more impressive 6-1 victory on Saturday night.

It was a big game for Olivier Rodrigue, who stopped 21 of the 22 shots he faced and helped the Condors go 5-for-5 on the penalty kill. As a result he equalled his career-high of 14 wins in a season, with still plenty of time to set a new personal high in a campaign which has been his best to date.

As for the team as a whole, they are now 26-4-1 in games this season where they score at least three goals. They are also now 14-10-4 at home, with the latest win coming in front of 5,251 fans at Mechanics Bank Arena.

Cameron Wright and Lane Pederson led the way with a couple of goals apiece, as they took home the Game's First and Second Star respectively. Wright now has 18 points in 33 games, while Pederson is second on the team with 42 total points, in 49 appearances.

A tight first period

It was actually quite a tense and close opening 20 minutes, with the Condors outshooting the Eagles just 7-6. However, the hosts finally broke through with just under five minutes remaining in the first period, as Wright finished well after being set up by Ben Gleason.

The second period was only 18 seconds old, when the Condors doubled their lead through Pederson after a 2-on-1 break. He couldn't help but score, after being set up by Dylan Holloway, with his second point in two games since being assigned to Bakersfield by the Oilers, and sixth point overall in six games this season for the Condors.

The game was effectively over when the Condors scored again with just eight seconds remaining in the second period. Cam Dineen shot from range and even though Ivan Prosvetov parried it initially, Noel Hoefenmayer got a piece of the puck and sent it home for the 3-0 advantage.

Condors break the game wide open

The final period saw the Condors really turn it on, with one of their best periods of hockey this season. They scored three times in 10 minutes to make it 6-0, as Pederson and Wright both scored their second goals, before Matvey Petrov finished off the home side's scoring with his sixth of the season.

The Eagles would strike back just 18 seconds after Petrov's goal, through Peter Holland off the post. However, this would represent the end of the scoring, to complete the final scoreline of 6-1 to the home team.

Postgame, Condors coach Colin Chaulk was asked about how the team looked focused from the very start. Speaking to the media, he said: "I thought right from the get-go, the Holloway line committed to shooting the puck right away. I think when we have that mindset, we're a hard team to play against."

Chaulk discussed Wright specifically, who is finally settling in with the team after being in and out of the lineup earlier in the season. He said: "We know he generates offence, but he's like a lot of young players. He's trying to nudge his way, bulldoze his way, push his way into being an everyday player and he definitely showed he can do it tonight."

The media also spoke to Wright himself postgame, asking him what he's trying to do with his game as a rookie. He said: "I'm just trying to build every day. I'm trying to build the trust of the coaching staff ... It's just about trying to stay in and helping the team win games, and that's been the key. I'm just trying to make the team better, by being in there and doing what they ask me to do."

With the win the Condors improve to 30-20-4 on the season and move up to a tie for fourth in the Pacific Division, five points behind the Eagles in second place and still with two games in hand. Next up they travel to Abbotsford, for two important games on Tuesday and Wednesday night versus the Canucks.

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