BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — The Bakersfield Condors have 17 familiar faces back in the lineup to start the regular season after two years of abbreviated COVID-altered campaigns.

The Condors began by dropping their newest Pacific Division championship banner Saturday from the rafters in front of a couple thousand people on opening night.

The guys had to rally to win this one with Yanni Kaldis banging home his first career AHL goal to tie the game at the start of the third period.

Moments later, Adam Cracknell put the Condors ahead to stay with his second goal of the night and the Condors won 5-3 over Abbotsford.

Then in a game you saw on 23ABC on Sunday, Stuart Skinner came up big against San Jose. The veteran netminder who led the AHL in wins last season, turned away 34 shots by the Barracuda.

Seth Griffith was the only person to find the net in a 1-0 win. Bakersfield starts the year 2-0 with a big defensive effort.

The Condors will be back on home ice at 7 p.m. Saturday when Stockton rolls into Bakersfield.