5 Things: Heat vs. Bakersfield
March 14, 2022 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Stockton Heat News Release
STOCKTON HEAT (34-9-4-1) vs BAKERSFIELD CONDORS (24-15-4-5)
6:30 p.m. PST | Broadcast: AHLTV, Fox Sports 1280, Spreaker
Leading Scorers
Heat:
Goals - Matthew Phillips (21)
Points - Matthew Phillips (50)
Condors:
Goals - Seth Griffith (20)
Points - Seth Griffith (53)
Special Teams
Heat:
PP - 38-for-195, 19.5% (15th)/PK - 179-for-207, 86.5% (1st)
Condors:
PP - 35-for-186, 18.8% (23rd)/PK - 164-for-207, 79.2% (23rd)
1. HEAT INDEX
The hottest team in the AHL and the Bakersfield Condors clash Monday at Stockton Arena, the seventh game of the season series between the Pacific Division rivals. The Heat ride a five-game point streak and four-game win streak into the tilt, most recently a 6-3 win over the San Jose Barracuda. Bakersfield has dropped two in a row and will look to find its footing against a Stockton club that has won five of the first six meetings in the season series.
2. THIS, THAT, THE OTHER
THIS... Stockton has been flexing its depth scoring over the recent stretch of games, the third and fourth lines combining for 16 points and 10 goals in the Heat's last three bouts. The fourth line of Alex Gallant (1g, 1a), Mark Simpson (1g, 3a) and Eetu Tuulola (2g, 1a) has added nine points, while the third unit of Emilio Pettersen (3g, 1a), Byron Froese (1g) and Walker Duehr (2g) has added seven. THAT... Stockton is 8-1-1-0 in the team's last 10 games and a perfect 4-0-0-0 since suffering the team's first defeat against Bakersfield, a 2-1 overtime decision to start March. In that same span, Bakersfield is 4-4-0-2 in that same span with losses to Ontario and San Diego. The Heat, the AHL's top home team, bring a six-game home point streak into the game and have added to their total in nine of the last 10. THE OTHER... The Heat will look to put an end to a streak of slower starts, Stockton conceding the game's first goal in each of its last three contests. Of course, the team's response was strong enough each time to claim two points, including a pair of third period comebacks against the San Jose Barracuda. Stockton is a league-best 25-1-3-0 when scoring first this year and is now above water when conceding the opening score, 9-8-1-1.
3. PLAYERS TO WATCH
Heat - Emilio Pettersen
Pettersen rides a career-long, four-game scoring streak into tonight's game with four goals and two assists in that span. Seven of his eight goals on the season have come in Stockton's last 11 games, including two on Saturday against San Jose.
Condors - Vincent Desharnais
The defenseman is an impressive plus-30 on the season, and he had a pair of assists in Bakersfield's win over the Heat in the teams' last meeting. He leads Condors blue-liners with 22 points on the year, six of those (1g, 5a) coming against Stockton.
4. MILESTONES WITHIN REACH
Justin Kirkland is three goals shy of 50 in his AHL career.
Glenn Gawdin is three assists shy of 100 in his AHL career.
5. QUOTABLE
"We're playing some good teams. We have to be on our toes. It's going to be desperate hockey. We're trying to get that one seed, do special things, win everything. Our mindset is winning every game. I know we have a lot of games here, but we just have to stick to it. We have to do our recovery well, day-by-day, it has to be perfect." - Emilio Pettersen on facing Bakersfield and Colorado this week
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