5 Things: Heat vs. SJ
October 31, 2021 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Stockton Heat News Release
STOCKTON HEAT (4-0-1-0) vs SAN JOSE BARRACUDA (2-1-1-0)
5 p.m. PST | Broadcast: AHLTV, Spreaker
Leading Scorers
Heat:
Goals - Adam Ruzicka (4)
Points - Adam Ruzicka/Jakob Pelletier (7)
Barracuda:
Goals - 5 players (2)
Points - Nick Merkley (5)
Special Teams
Heat:
PP - 3-for-16, 18.8% (16th)/PK - 15-for-19, 78.9% (t-17th)
Barracuda:
PP - 4-for-15, 26.7% (4th)/PK - 13-for-17, 76.5% (t-24th)
1. HEAT INDEX
Feelin' hot-hot-hot-(hot), the Stockton Heat come into Sunday's game winners of four consecutive contests after earning a 6-3 victory over Colorado Saturday at Stockton Arena. The Heat were paced by Adam Ruzicka, who notched his first professional hat trick, and multi-point efforts from Nick DeSimone, Glenn Gawdin and Jakob Pelletier, who all finished the night with a pair of helpers. Stockton will look to continue building on its unprecedented start on Sunday, the Heat riding a five-game point streak into the contest.
2. THIS, THAT, THE OTHER
THIS... Individual development is at a premium in the AHL, and building an organizational culture is on par. With the Heat and Calgary Flames on a combined 10-game win streak between the clubs, Stockton and Calgary boast the second-best organizational point percentage among all NHL-AHL partnerships at a .846 point percentage, trailing only the Carolina-Chicago Wolves partnership (.917). THAT... Turning back the clock to pre-pandemic times, the Heat and Barracuda meet for the first time since March 10, 2020, the final game Stockton played before the 2019-20 season went on pause and was ultimately canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Stockton dominated play in the season series against San Jose that season, going 9-1-0 in 10 meetings. THE OTHER... The Heat's penalty kill showed out in Saturday's game against Colorado, Stockton killing all four trips to the power play for an Eagles squad that came into the game clicking at the third-highest clip in the AHL. Among the kills was a 47-second 5-on-3 advantage for the visitors, which head coach Mitch Love diagnosed as a turning point in the contest. With the shorthanded effort, the Heat snapped a skid of three consecutive games allowing a power play goal.
3. PLAYERS TO WATCH
Heat - Adam Ruzicka
Can the Slovakian centerman repeat the script from a year ago, when he settled in with four consecutive three-point games after getting some action under his belt to start the season? Ruzicka's hat trick on Saturday was the first of his professional career and Stockton's first since February 1, 2020, Austin Czarnik's trick against Bakersfield. He'll look to keep rolling offensively on Sunday.
San Jose Barracuda - Noah Gregor
The forward comes into Sunday's game with a three-game point streak, including goals in each of the Barracuda's last two games. The Heat limited Gregor to two points, both assists, in five games in 2019-20.
4. MILESTONES WITHIN REACH
Byron Froese can reach 100 career AHL goals (currently 99)
Matthew Phillips can reach 100 career AHL points (currently 97)
Luke Philp can reach 30 career AHL goals (currently 29)
5. QUOTABLE
"I'm just worried about getting better tomorrow." -ÃÂ Mitch LoveÃÂ on his evaluation on Stockton's all-time best start through five games at 4-0-1.
American Hockey League Stories from October 31, 2021
- 5 Things: Heat vs. SJ - Stockton Heat
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