BAKERSFIELD, CA - Condors Head Coach Jay Woodcroft has plenty of options.
Fifteen healthy forwards, nine defenceman and three goaltenders to be exact.
The team's depth and versatility allow the bench boss to make changes when necessary and still field one of the American Hockey League's best rosters. In Games 1 and 2 of the Condors' opening-round series, Woodcroft deployed a conventional 12 forward, six defencemen makeup.
However, heading into Game 3, he was forced to adapt. Players were "banged up" as the first-year coach was required to move pieces around. With an itching Evan Bouchard waiting to draw into the lineup, Woodcroft exercised a different look: 11 forwards and seven defencemen.
It resulted in the first ever AHL home playoff victory for the franchise.
"What I liked about our mix of players is that we have people that represent different ingredients," said Woodcroft following Tuesday's practice. "So it's not just a cookie cutter jersey that's going into the lineup. We have players that excel on the power play and excel on the penalty kill. We have toughness, we have size, we have speed. I believe that our depth has been a real source of strength.
"For me and the coaching staff, we have a comfort level with every single player that we have on the roster. Every single one of those players is important to us. They're important to what we got going on and we're a stronger team because they're here. We feel quite comfortable with whoever we ice in our lineup."
CONDORS: Team's 'source of strength' comes from depth, versatility
"We have people that represent different ingredients. I believe that our depth has been a real source of strength," said Condors Head Coach Jay Woodcroft.
