5 Things: Heat at Bakersfield
Published on February 19, 2022 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Stockton Heat News Release
STOCKTON HEAT (27-8-3-1) at BAKERSFIELD CONDORS (20-11-4-3)
7:00 p.m. PST | Broadcast: AHLTV, Fox Sports 1280, Spreaker
Leading Scorers
Heat:
Goals - Matthew Phillips (18)
Points - Matthew Phillips/Jakob Pelletier (37)
Condors:
Goals - Seth Griffith (17)
Points - Seth Griffith (46)
Special Teams
Heat:
PP - 30-for-160, 18.8% (17th)/PK - 147-for-167, 88.0% (1st)
Condors:
PP - 27-for-146, 18.5% (19th)/PK - 128-for-159, 80.5% (t-19th)
1. HEAT INDEX
After a full week off, the Stockton Heat return to the frozen pond for a two-game home-and-home against upstart divisional foe Bakersfield. Both teams sport identical 6-3-1-0 records over their last 10 games, with Stockton winning its last bout 6-5 in a shootout over Ontario and Bakersfield falling 5-2 to Abbotsford on Wednesday. The Heat bring a 3-0-0-0 record on the season against the Condors into Saturday's tilt, two of those wins coming in Bakersfield.
2. THIS, THAT, THE OTHER
THIS... The last time Stockton and Bakersfield got together, it was a different looking matchup. Stockton was in first, as the Heat remain now, but the Condors limped into Stockton with a 6- 8-1-0 mark that placed the Oilers' AHL affiliate in eighth place in a nine-team Pacific Division. Since that matchup, a 2-1 shootout win that pushed Stockton to 16-2-2-1 and Bakersfield to 6-8-1-1, the Condors have gone 14-3-3-2 while the Heat have posted a mark of 11-6-1-0. With two teams coming in at the top of their game, that only adds to the rivalry intrigue. THAT... Stockton's top line of Jakob Pelletier - Glenn Gawdin - Matthew Phillips has given everyone trouble this season, but the trio has been a particular thorn in the side of the Condors this season while potting a pair of game-winning goals, a deciding shootout score and nine combined points (4g, 5a) in three games. Only Byron Froese (1g, 3a) has more points against the Condors this season than those three among players on Stockton's roster. THE OTHER... A win Saturday would give the Heat just their second-ever win streak of more than three games against the Condors, last pulling the feat when they took the first six matchups of the 2017-18 season, with all of those games occurring in October and November. Heading into tonight's tilt, the Heat have won six of the last seven against the Condors.
3. PLAYERS TO WATCH
Heat - Emilio Pettersen
Pettersen lit the lamp in each game against the Ontario Reign last weekend and has four points in Stockton's last six games. The forward has yet to register a point against the Condors this season, but will look to keep the hot hand.
Condors - Brad Malone
With 28 points in 30 games, Malone is putting together one of his best AHL seasons on the offensive end. He's proven potent against Stockton this season with five points and two goals in the first three games of the season series.
4. MILESTONES WITHIN REACH
Kevin Gravel is one goal shy of 20 in his AHL career.
Matthew Phillips is one point shy of matching his career high for points in a season.
Luke Philp is one goal shy of 40 in his AHL career.
5. QUOTABLE
"Good teams have contributions from everybody. When you're as tight as the games are going to be here down the stretch as we finish the regular season over the next couple months, there are teams fighting for playoff positioning, seeding, lots of different factors of how tight the hockey will be. Any time you get contributions up and down the lineup from guys, it's good. There'll be times guys have a night off, nights games are tightly-checked based on the lineup, we need that depth. That was really nice to see." - Mitch Love on Stockton's scoring depth
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