WHAT'S NEXT
The Condors are back in action for Game 2 on Saturday at Rabobank Arena. You can watch on AHL Live or listen on Fox Sports 970 AM beginning at 8:00 p.m. MST.
POST-GAME UPDATES
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Maxime Comtois backhanded an effort past Condors goaltender Shane Starrett 4:20 into the game's seventh period to give the Gulls the series lead heading into tomorrow's rematch at Rabobank Arena that comes less than 19 hours after the conclusion of tonight's contest.
"I thought it was really well-played hockey game by both teams," Condors bench boss Jay Woodcroft said post-game. "It's a shame that we didn't find a way to get the win, but there was a lot of good in the game for us and some things we can improve on. What an effort by our group of warriors out there."
Brad Malone combined shorthanded with Patrick Russell to open the scoring five periods earlier in the middle frame and record his third goal of the postseason, with both forwards picking up assists on Joe Gambardella's third-period goal that put the Condors back in the lead after Justin Kloos levelled things up 32 seconds into the third.
Starrett parried away 53 of the 56 shots he faced for Bakersfield to match Jeff Glass at the other end for San Diego, who went shot-for-shot with his counterpart with 51 saves on Condors' 53 attempts.
The match ends as the longest game in the Condors' 21-year franchise history at 124 minutes and 20 seconds.
"You're kind of in a whirlwind there and don't even realize it," Russell said after recording his third multi-point night of the playoffs. "[Patrick Russell] and I were talking in between periods if it was the third or fourth. We kind of lost track of what was going on, but you just try to stay with it.
"Guys are cramping and battling through things. Everybody was a warrior tonight, so it's a good test for our group and something we can hang our hat on. We got through it together, and we'll just build off it."
A cagey beginning to tonight's opener broke with a first major opportunity five minutes in for the Condors and Gambardella, who picked up a mishandled puck from the Gulls defence and fired his open look into the chest of Gulls goaltender Jeff Glass.
A stretch pass that hopped the stick of defenceman Logan Day and onto the stick of a streaking Ben Street had the Gulls forward in alone, but the right pad of Starrett got just enough of the wrist shot to send the puck out of play and provide relief for the Condors bench with 6:26 remaining in the opening frame.
Both clubs threw their weight around in a physical opening frame, with a hard hit by Mitch Callahan drawing a retaliatory cross-check from Sam Carrick to send the Condors to the first man advantage that couldn't be converted in the final minutes of the opening frame.