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Stockton Heat

Heat Look to Get Back to Winning Ways in Bakersfield at 7PM

February 6, 2016 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Stockton Heat News Release


TONIGHT

The Stockton Heat continue their three-game road trip as the team goes from San Diego to Bakersfield hoping to bounce-back after a loss last night at the Valley View Casino Center against the Gulls. Stockton's five-game win streak was snapped in their first loss since January 16.

Meanwhile the Condors have dropped their last two, one to the Heat and one last night to the Milwaukee Admirals who embarrassed the Condors 7-3 so look for a tougher Bakersfield team tonight as they play in front of their home fans.

LAST TIME VS. BAKERSFIELD

The last game between these teams was the final game scheduled to take place at Stockton Arena and it ended up that Stockton would win 4-2. Derek Grant was involved in every goal for the Stockton Heat in his second four-point night of the year and Stockton won their fifth-straight and their seventh at Stockton Arena.

WHO TO WATCH

The easy answer always seems to be Derek Grant here but we're going to go off the board today and tell you about another player to watch.

In nine games in January, Drew Shore was able to put a goal and three assists away. This, mind you, coming after Shore was heating up until an injury in the final game before Christmas break caused him to miss six games.

Well currently Shore has one point in his last eight games, and to say he's due for a big game is an understatement. He has found himself on that top power play unit that's played well over the course of the last few games and it just seems that the time is right for Shore to get back into the point column tonight against the Condors.

For good reason too. Shore has a goal and 4 assists in 5 games against Bakersfield this season.

WE INTERRUPT THIS PROGRAM FOR ANOTHER DEREK GRANT ALERT

Before we return you to your regularly scheduled gameday blog, we have to once again talk about the top Heat man, Derek Grant, as he surpassed his career high last night in goals with his 22nd of the season. He's just two assists back of matching his career high in assists (17) and one point back of his career high (38). Oh...and he's only played 29 games.

With his marker last night coming on the power play, Grant now shares the league lead in goals with Scott Wilson of the Wilkes Barre/Scranton Penguins.

Apart from leading the team in goals, points and tied for the lead in assists, he was named the Heat's first All-Star and performed well at the All-Star Classic, winning the CCM Fastest Skater Competition with a time of 14.307 and finished tied with San Diego's Nick Ritchie for the Pacific Division lead in goals (2) and points (3).

Well the honors kept rolling in for Granter as he was named the CCM/AHL Player of the Month of January after he scored 10 goals and had 9 assists in 10 games for the Heat. Stockton went 8-1-1-0 with Grant in the lineup during the first month of 2016.

Now the reigning PotM will look to continue his success into February. Grant has goals in three-straight (5) and points in four straight (5-4-8). In total Grant has been held without a point in just eight games this season.

DEFENSMAN MOVING UP BRINGS THE CAPTAIN BACK IN

With Jakub Nakladal receiving the call up to Calgary for the second time this season earlier this week, we saw Heat captain, Aaron Johnson, back on the blueline to provide that veteran, calming presence for the defenseman last night.

Johnson has been great this year, and in particular recently, as he has points in three-straight (1-4-5) and leads the Heat active defenseman in points with 15. Johnson's +3 rating is second best on the team next to Derek Grant (+8) and is the best of the blueliners, however Dustin Stevenson (+2) and Brett Kulak (+2) are right behind him.

JAMPACKED PACIFIC

The Pacific Division is so tight that every single game right now seems to move a team up and down the standings. While the Ontario Reign are leading the charge, Texas, San Jose, San Diego, Stockton, Bakersfield and San Antonio are separated by just .71 point percentage.

With the loss last night Stockton dropped to fifth but a win tonight and a San Diego loss would see the teams trade places once again in the standings.

INTERESTING FACT

Recently reassigned forward Mason Raymond played his first AHL game since January of 2008 when his Manitoba Moose fell to the San Antonio Rampage.

However on that last game he played, January 13, 2008, Raymond picked up a point, a goal in fact.

Fast forward 2,943 days later, Raymond, back in the AHL, this time with the Stockton Heat, earned a point in the AHL as he picked up an assist on Derek Grant's power-play marker to pull the Heat, at the time, within one.

Raymond skated on a line with Grant and Emile Poirier and looked dangerous throughout the game. The 30-year-old also rang one of the bar in his Heat debut.

Saturday, February 6, 2016

Arena: Rabobank Arena

Date: February 6, 2016

Time: 7:00 p.m. PST

Broadcast: AHL Live, Spreaker & iHeartRadio beginning at 6:45 p.m. PST

Leading Scorer: STOCKTON: F Derek Grant (29GP, 22-15-37)

SAN DIEGO: F Matthew Ford (36GP, 18-14-32)

For the live, in-game tweets, follow @AHLHeatPR. Stay tuned at the end of the game for the Chase Chevrolet Big Moment of the Game with your chance to win an autographed Colton Orr puck.

Check out the Stockton Heat Statistics

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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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