5 Things: Heat at Bakersfield
October 23, 2021 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Stockton Heat News Release
STOCKTON HEAT (2-0-1-0) at BAKERSFIELD CONDORS (2-1-0-0)
7 p.m. PST | Broadcast: AHLTV, Spreaker
Leading Scorers
Heat:
Goals - Justin Kirkland/Walker Duehr/Jakob Pelletier (2)
Points - Jakob Pelletier/Adam Ruzicka (4)
Condors:
Goals - Seth Griffith/Adam Cracknell (2)
Points - Seth Griffith (5)
Special Teams
Heat:
PP - 2-for-9, 22.2% (t-12th)/PK - 9-for-12, 75.0% (t-20th)
Condors:
PP - 3-for-17, 17.6% (18th)/PK - 14-for-15, 93.3% (t-4th)
1. HEAT INDEX
Looking for a perfect weekend, the Heat head to Bakersfield to take on the Condors Saturday night at Mechanics Bank Arena. Stockton spoiled the party for San Diego on Friday, besting the Gulls by a 6-2 tally at Pechanga Arena before loading up on the bus and heading north. The Heat have taken five of a possible six points in the early running on the campaign and will look to extend their season-opening point streak to four games on Saturday.
2. THIS, THAT, THE OTHER
THIS... Should Dustin Wolf factor into the lineup, Saturday would represent his first-ever official road game of his AHL career. Wolf, who has earned at least a point in four consecutive starts, has only started on home ice - three games at the Scotiabank Saddledome last season and the first two this year at Stockton Arena. In his only road experience in the league, Wolf made 33 stops in Stockton's preseason win at Bakersfield. THAT... Adam Ruzicka added his second multi-point effort in as many games with a goal and an assist on Friday. The Slovakian centerman paced the Heat with 21 points in 2020-21, a run that included four consecutive three-point outings early in the season. All signs point to another strong start from No. 29. THE OTHER... The Heat have made hay in the second periods over the last two games, responding to the season-opening shutout with four goals in the second stanza while blanking opponents. In those two games, the Heat moved from 1-1 ties through one period to 3-1 leads in each game entering the final 20 minutes.
3. PLAYERS TO WATCH
Heat - Jakob Pelletier
When you're hot, you're hot, and Pelletier is feeling it on the offensive end. The rookie has goals in back-to-back games and is coming off the Heat's first three-point outing of the season.
Condors - Seth Griffith
Griffith has a goal in each of Bakersfield's last two games, and in the only game this season in which he hasn't found the back of the net - the season opener - he tallied three assists against San Jose.
4. MILESTONES WITHIN REACH
Byron Froese can reach 100 career AHL goals (currently 99)
Glenn Gawdin can reach 100 career AHL points (currently 99)
Nick DeSimone can reach 100 career AHL points (currently 98)
Matthew Phillips can reach 100 career AHL points (currently 96)
5. QUOTABLE
"Veteran bodies, and at a very important position. We talk about playing the game with pace and competing, and those are two guys who do a good job with that on a daily basis." - Mitch Love on Byron Froese and Glenn Gawdin
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