Giant bird goes wild on hockey rink

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (NBC) - Minor-league sports franchises are always looking to entice fans with unique promotions and pregame ceremonies.

Friday night, one such promotion got out of hand -- literally.

The Bakersfield minor-league hockey team is nicknamed The Condors.

Before their game with the Las Vegas Wranglers, a live condor was taken to the middle of the rink during the singing of the National Anthem.

That's when things got interesting. First, the handler lost his grip on the giant bird, which wandered toward the edge of the rink.

After he picked up the condor, the handler took a spill just before returning to the middle of the rink. Then, it got worse.

The bird got more rambunctious, making its way back onto the ice where it was shooed toward its handler by a Condors player.

The bird ended up in the Bakersfield bench, nearly attacking head coach Matt O'Dette as it hopped from the railing into the second row of seats.

As the handler tries to get a hold of it again, the condor makes its way down the bench and heads down the tunnel leading to the locker rooms.

Maybe someone told it to hit the showers?