HENDERSON, N.V. – The Henderson Silver Knights return to home ice for a single-game contest against the Bakersfield Condors. The team is heading into its final nine games of the season, seven of which will be played at The Stronghold, as they continue their push for the final playoff spot in the Pacific Division. Henderson is 0-4-1 against Bakersfield this season, a record they’ll look to improve in tonight’s matchup. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. PT.
ON THE LOOKOUT
- Captain Jake Bischoff, who suited up for the 300th AHL game of his career on March 24, leads all Silver Knights defensemen in points with 20 (4G, 16A). He tallied a two-assist night in Henderson’s 7-3 defeat of the Abbotsford Canucks on March 16, but he – and the team – remain focused on the standings over the tough stretch ahead of them. “We’re home to end the season, and we have a chance to go on a little run,” he said after Friday’s morning skate. “I think that’s the message in the room. We know where we’re at in the standings.”
- Head Coach Ryan Craig wants to see the team carry the successes of last Saturday’s game against playoff-contender Milwaukee into tonight’s matchup, especially against a team that the Silver Knights have struggled against this season. “We’ll focus on our start tonight, our first period,” he said. “Our guys like playing in this building, we like playing in front of our fans. That should give us some energy, give us a boost against a team that we have to start having some success against.”
FRIENDLY RIVALRY
Several members of the Silver Knights are cheering on their alma maters as the college hockey postseason continues. Henderson finds themselves well-represented in the tournament, boasting former players for the University of Omaha-Nebraska [Mason Morelli and Isaiah Saville], the University of Minnesota [Jake Bischoff], the University of Michigan [Brendan Brisson], and Boston University [Brandon Hickey].
BEHIND ENEMY LINES
- Forward Seth Griffith leads the Bakersfield Condors with 52 points (12G, 40A) in 58 games. He heads into this evening’s matchup on a three-game point streak, notching four points (0G, 4A) over that span.
- Forward Raphael Lavoie leads the Condors in goals scored with 26 in 56 games. However, he’s recently been quiet on the scoresheet, notching just three points (2G, 1A) in the team’s last five games. In five games against the Silver Knights this season, Lavoie has scored six goals.
- The Condors have split starts between goaltenders Jack Campbell and Olivier Rodrigue. Campbell has played 29 games for Bakersfield, averaging 2.58 goals against with a .920 save percentage and a 16-12-0 record. He has also earned three shutouts this season, two of which were against the Silver Knights. Rodrigue has played 31 games for the Condors, averaging 2.67 goals against with a .917 save percentage and a 17-9-4 record.
FURTHER NOTES
- Christoffer Sedoff is day-to-day
- Gage Quinney is week-to-week
- Carson Focht is week-to-week
- Bear Hughes is day-to-day
- Brandon Hickey is week-to-week
- Mason Primeau is day-to-day
- Tyler Benson is day-to-day
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