
5 Things: Heat at Tucson
December 11, 2021 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Stockton Heat News Release
STOCKTON HEAT (14-2-2-1) at TUCSON ROADRUNNERS (9-7-1-0)
6:00 p.m. PST | Broadcast: AHLTV, Spreaker
Leading Scorers
Heat:
Goals - Adam Ruzicka (10)
Points - Jakob Pelletier (25)
Roadrunners:
Goals - Matias Maccelli (7)
Points - Matias Maccelli (19)
Special Teams
Heat:
PP - 18-for-79, 22.8% (3rd)/PK - 75-for-84, 89.3% (1st)
Roadrunners:
PP - 13-for-73, 17.8% (t-20th)/PK - 58-for-72, 80.6% (18th)
1. HEAT INDEX
In a back-and-forth game, the Stockton Heat fell just short in a 5-4 shootout loss Friday at the Tucson Convention Center Arena. Twice, the Heat led and twice they could not hang on, but still the team was able to salvage a point and extend the current point streak to four games. Jakob Pelletier and Matthew Phillips led the way for the Heat with two-goal, three-point nights, while Glenn Gawdin and Connor Mackey each registered multi-point efforts of their own. It's the second time that Tucson was able to win the front end of the teams' back-to-backs, both times requiring play beyond regulation.
2. THIS, THAT, THE OTHER
THIS... Two games into the newly-formed top line of Jakob Pelletier-Glenn Gawdin-Matthew Phillips, the results could not be better. It's a dangerous trio with high-end talent, a first round draft pick on the left flank of two skaters who made their NHL debuts last season. Through 125 minutes of play, the numbers are impressive: nine goals and nine assists for 18 points through six periods of play, or an average of a point-per-player-per-period. In the last two games, Pelletier is a plus-6, Gawdin a plus-7 and Phillips plus-7. THAT... Four times, the Heat have had a chance to respond from a loss, and four times they've emerged victorious. They'll have another crack at re-entering the win column tonight. Common themes in the bounce-back efforts: stellar play from Dustin Wolf between the pipes, with a 1.74 GAA and .943 Save Percentage in those games and Jakob Pelletier scoring, with goals in three of those four games and points in all four (3g, 2a). THE OTHER... Stockton peppered Roadrunners netminder Ivan Prosvetov with 51 shots last night in regulation, but the goalie responded with 47 saves in his heavy workload. It was the first time the Heat hit the 50-shot mark since January 17, 2020, a 5-1 loss to the Ontario Reign in which Cal Petersen made 50 saves. The previous high for Stockton on the season was 39, set in Tuesday's 10-1 win over San Jose.
3. PLAYERS TO WATCH
Heat - Matthew Phillips
Since returning to the lineup, Phillips has been a handful with four goals and two assists in two games. The winger has points in four of his last five games, with nine points (5g, 4a) in that span.
Roadrunners - Matias Maccelli
Maccelli has points in five of Tucson's last six games and lit the lamp in Friday's tilt. In three games against the Heat, Maccelli, the Roadrunners' leading scorer, has operated at a point-per-game clip with a goal and two assists.
4. MILESTONES WITHIN REACH
Kevin Gravel is one goal shy of 20 in his AHL career.
5. QUOTABLE
"Sometimes it comes in bunches. A little bit of a slower start (to the year) offensively, but I still think I've done a lot of good things in my own end, playing the right way. It's nice to (contribute offensively) and help the team." - Connor Mackey on his work on the offensive end
American Hockey League Stories from December 11, 2021
- Gross Sends the Bears Flying in Colorado's 2-1 Win over Bakersfield - Colorado Eagles
- McKenzie Scores in 500th Game as Texas Falls in Overtime - Texas Stars
- Solovyov Strikes Twice as Heat Earn 5-1 Win in Tucson - Stockton Heat
- Griffins Swept in Weekend Road Series against Manitoba - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Moose Hold off Grand Rapids 3-2 - Manitoba Moose
- Mayhew Brings the Teddy Bears - Lehigh Valley Phantoms
- IceHogs Collect over 4,750 Teddies in Thrilling 2-1 Win over Henderson on Teddy Bear Toss - Rockford IceHogs
- Wolves Work a Little Extra to Earn Eighth Straight - Chicago Wolves
- Brazeau and Keyser Lead the Way as Providence Bruins Earn 3-0 Win over Springfield Thunderbirds - Providence Bruins
- Wild Fall 4-2 to the Admirals in Milwaukee - Iowa Wild
- Monsters Downed by Phantoms, 4-2 - Cleveland Monsters
- Grimaldi Goal Propels Admirals to Win - Milwaukee Admirals
- Islanders Topple Marlies 5-4 - Bridgeport Islanders
- Bruins Spoil T-Birds' Teddy Bear Toss Night with Victory - Springfield Thunderbirds
- Silver Knights Fall to IceHogs, 2-1 - Henderson Silver Knights
- Bears Return to Action with 3-2 Overtime Win at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton - Hershey Bears
- Penguins Handed First Overtime Loss by Bears, 3-2 - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
- Checkers Stun Syracuse with Comeback Win - Charlotte Checkers
- Checkers Rally Past Crunch, 5-3 - Syracuse Crunch
- Marlies Visit Bridgeport in Second of Three Games this Weekend - Toronto Marlies
- Abby Canucks Stay Hot, Win 5-1 in San Jose - Abbotsford Canucks
- Springfield signs F Nick Master, D Charlie Spetz to professional tryouts - Springfield Thunderbirds
- 5 Things: Heat at Tucson - Stockton Heat
- Seattle Assigns Daccord to Charlotte - Charlotte Checkers
- IceHogs Recall Forward Riley McKay from Indy - Rockford IceHogs
- Kraken Recall Alexander True - Charlotte Checkers
- Despite Reset, Jr. Checkers Program Thriving in 2021 - Charlotte Checkers
- Heat Look to Bounce Back Saturday at Tucson - Stockton Heat
- Brian Lashoff, Kyle Criscuolo Returns to Grand Rapids - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Game #18: Stockton at Tucson - Tucson Roadrunners
- Dallas Stars Recall Goaltender Ben Bishop from Conditioning Assignment - Texas Stars
- Game Preview: Bears at Penguins, 6:05 p.m. - Hershey Bears
- Weekend Preview: Bridgeport Opens Two-Game Set with Teddy Bear Toss against Toronto - Bridgeport Islanders
- Hogs Game Day: IceHogs Celebrate Annual Teddy Bear Toss and Night of Giving Tonight vs. Silver Knights at BMO Harris Bank Center - Rockford IceHogs
- Roadrunners Extinguish Heat In 5-4 Shootout Win - Tucson Roadrunners
- Gulls Open Weekend with Loss to Ontario - San Diego Gulls
- Reign Use to Pair in Third to Pull away from San Diego - Ontario Reign
- Moose Rally past Grand Rapids - Manitoba Moose
- Eagles Put up Season-High Seven Goals in 7-2 Win over Condors - Colorado Eagles
- Iowa Drops Overtime Thriller to Milwaukee, 4-3 - Iowa Wild
- IceHogs Push Early; Come up Empty in 5-0 Setback to Silver Knights - Rockford IceHogs
- Admirals Complete Comeback over Wild - Milwaukee Admirals
- Pelletier, Phillips Help Heat Earn Point Friday at Tucson - Stockton Heat
- Four-Goal Third Period Pushes Moose Past Griffins - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Amerks Overpower Rocket for Fifth Straight Win - Rochester Americans
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