5 Things: Heat vs. Bakersfield
March 16, 2022 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Stockton Heat News Release
STOCKTON HEAT (35-9-4-1) vs BAKERSFIELD CONDORS (24-16-4-5)
6:30 p.m. PST | Broadcast: AHLTV, Fox Sports 1280, Spreaker
Leading Scorers
Heat:
Goals - Jakob Pelletier (22)
Points - Matthew Phillips (50)
Condors:
Goals - Seth Griffith (20)
Points - Seth Griffith (54)
Special Teams
Heat:
PP - 39-for-199, 19.6% (t-14th)/PK - 182-for-210, 86.7% (1st)
Condors:
PP - 35-for-189, 18.5% (23rd)/PK - 167-for-211, 79.1% (23rd)
1. HEAT INDEX
Win and they're in... maybe. The Stockton Heat have a chance to clinch their second-ever playoff berth on Wednesday, entering play with a 'Magic Number' of three points needed to punch their ticket to the Calder Cup Playoffs. A Stockton win coupled with a Tucson loss of any kind, or a Stockton overtime or shootout loss matched with a Tucson regulation loss would do the trick. More immediately, Stockton will look to continue their success against Bakersfield, entering tonight's game 6-0-1-0 on the year against their Pacific Division foe in the Battle of Highway 99.
2. THIS, THAT, THE OTHER
THIS... A recipe for disaster when facing Stockton is to concede the fast start. Bakersfield has done its part on that front in the season series, scoring first in three of seven games - but losing all three. The Heat, who scored first on Monday, are now an AHL-best 26-1-3-0 when scoring first, a .917 points percentage. THAT... Another way to give Stockton the upper hand? Let them score on the power play. The Heat man-advantage went 1-for-4 on Monday, Jakob Pelletier's marker on the man-advantage getting the scoring started in what proved to be a low-scoring game. Stockton is a remarkable 25-1-1-0 when scoring even one power play goal this season, and the Heat have gone 8-for-37 (21.6-percent) on the man-advantage against the Condors this year. THE OTHER... Stockton is red hot entering tonight's game, winners of five in a row, eight of the last 10 and 12 of the last 15, a stretch that dates back to January 29. The current run is Stockton's second win streak of five or more games, the previous coming from October to mid-November in a nine-game sprint. The Heat's current six-game point streak is the second-longest in the AHL, trailing only the Chicago Wolves at 7-0-1-2.
3. PLAYERS TO WATCH
Heat - Jakob Pelletier
The rookie seems to love seeing Condor blue and orange on the other end of the ice, now up to five goals and eight points in seven games against the divisional rival.
Condors - Seth Griffith
Griffith was limited to just one assist in Monday's game and has been held without a goal in seven games against Stockton this year. The forward has five assists thus far in the season series.
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 humans, so it's in the back of our mind as a group, I'm sure. For me as a hockey coach, I'm just excited about the process and how we get there. What are our games looking like? What does our next practice look like? It's probably as cliche as it's going to come. Our guys are probably thinking about it, but we just have to focus on our game and the results will take care of themselves." - Mitch Love on the mindset as the team approaches clinching a playoff spot
• Discuss this story on the American Hockey League message board...
American Hockey League Stories from March 16, 2022
- Sellgren, Wolves Rout Admirals - Chicago Wolves
- Griffins Win Third Straight - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Ads Point Streak Snapped in Chicago - Milwaukee Admirals
- Islanders Gain Point in OT Setback to Springfield - Bridgeport Islanders
- Peca Propels T-Birds to Yet Another OT Win - Springfield Thunderbirds
- Crunch Tame Wolf Pack, 4-2 - Syracuse Crunch
- Stars Overcome Two Different Two-Goal Deficits in Overtime Loss - Texas Stars
- Wolf Pack Can't Hold off Third Period Barrage, Fall 4-2 to Crunch - Hartford Wolf Pack
- Inaugural Hockey Fiesta Weekend Coming Up - Lehigh Valley Phantoms
- 5 Things: Heat vs. Bakersfield - Stockton Heat
- Rangers Assign Forward Morgan Barron to Wolf Pack - Hartford Wolf Pack
- Eagles Sign Forward Kyle Betts to ATO - Colorado Eagles
- IceHogs Weekly: IceHogs Return Home for Isaak Phillips Designer Hat Night with BMO Harris Bank & Meijer Family Sunday - Rockford IceHogs
- Series Preview vs. San Diego: March 16 & 18 - Henderson Silver Knights
- Syracuse Crunch Sign Goaltender Corbin Kaczperski to PTO - Syracuse Crunch
- Notebook: A Chance to Regroup, Adding New Pieces and More - Charlotte Checkers
- Monsters Partner with Adaptive Sports Ohio to Present New Sled Hockey Team - Cleveland Monsters
- Providence Bruins Sign Jacob Wilson to One-Year AHL Contract for 2022-23 Season - Providence Bruins
- Phantoms Power Play - Lehigh Valley Phantoms
- Resilient Canucks Lose 2-1 in Overtime to Manitoba in Heartbreaker - Abbotsford Canucks
- Heat Wrap Midweek Series with Bakersfield Wednesday - Stockton Heat
- Seth Barton Reassigned to Toledo - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Tampa Bay Lightning Sign Defenseman Declan Carlile to Entry-Level Contract - Syracuse Crunch
- Willman Recalled to Flyers - Lehigh Valley Phantoms
- Wolf Pack Make Lone Trip to Syracuse to Battle Crunch - Hartford Wolf Pack
- Condors Sign Engarås - Bakersfield Condors
- Amerks Sign Knoepke to Amateur Tryout - Rochester Americans
- Islanders Visit Thunderbirds Tonight - Bridgeport Islanders
- Game #50: San Jose at Tucson - Tucson Roadrunners
- Malott Scores in OT to Lift Moose over Abbotsford - Manitoba Moose
- Belleville Sens Earn Point against Eastern Conference-Leading Comets - Belleville Senators
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.
