AHL Stockton Heat

Heat Host Bakersfield for Star Wars Night Tonight at 6PM

Published on March 3, 2018 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Stockton Heat News Release


Arena: Stockton Arena

Date: March 3, 2018

Time: 6:00 p.m. PST (5:00 p.m. Doors, Heat Zone Pregame Party Cancelled due to inclement weather)

Broadcast: AHL Live, Spreaker and iHeartRadio at 5:45 p.m. PST

LEADING SCORER: STOCKTON: LW Andrew Mangiapane (36GP 19-23-42)

BAKERSFIELD: RW Ty Rattie (49GP 20-20-40)

For the live, in-game tweets, follow @AHLHeat. Stay tuned at the end of the game for the Chase Chevrolet Big Moment of the Game with your chance to win an autographed puck from David Rittich.

TONIGHT

The Heat and Bakersfield Condors meet up for the second-to-last time this season and first time since the final day of 2017. In the first eight meetings of the season, the Heat were 6-1-0-1 against the Condors but were bested by their rival in the last meeting, a New Year's Eve matchup at Stockton Arena.

The season series concludes this Friday at Rabobank Arena.

Tonight is Star Wars Night, where the 501st Legion, Central California Garrison will be out in full force! Take pictures with your favorite Star Wars characters all night, and for our younger fans, participate in our costume contest for a chance to win an autographed Heat stick!

It's also Boy Scout Night, and all scouts will receive a Stockton Heat Hat and a Scout Badge. As part of Hockey Weekend Across America, today anyone wearing their youth league or adult league jersey to the Stockton Arena ticket office will receive a FREE ticket to the game (while tickets last).

All Heat365 Members are invited to enjoy a wine tasting in the Bud Light Cold Zone before the game, thanks to IronStone Vineyard. Check out their new IronStone Vineyard Wine Cave located near the North Entrance during games.

Plus, every Saturday night is Hockey Night in Stockton presented by Budweiser, so Heat fans 21 and over can purchase a Bud & Burger combo for $15!

We'll also have local food from Bella Vista Cucina Italiana along with some great craft beer options available inside the arena as the Breakaway Cafe will be available to fans in the building all night long.

Unfortunately, due to the weather, the Heat Zone Pregame Party has been cancelled.

Please allow extra time to get to the Arena due to the weather and the expected large crowd.

LAST TIME VS. BAKERSFIELD

The Heat got on the board first thanks to Tyler Wotherspoon's shot from the point that deflected past then Condors goalie Eddie Pasquale and in. However, the Condors would score three unanswered, two in the second from Brad Malone and Iiro Pakarinen and one in the third thanks to Ryan Mantha to beat the Heat.

It was the Heat's first regulation loss to Bakersfield since February 27, 2017 having gone 9-0-0-1 until then.

WHO TO WATCH

Tonight it has to be Andrew Mangiapane, and apart from the obvious reason why as the Heat's team leader in goals and points, he's also been red hot for the Heat as of late.

In fact, Mangiapane has the longest active point streak going for the Heat with 7 points (3-4-7) in his last four AHL games dating back to February 11 against the Milwaukee Admirals.

Of course, Mangiapane has seen time both here with the Heat, and up with the Calgary Flames, having now suited up in 10 games for Calgary this season. With his two linemates to start the year in Mark Jankowski and Garnet Hathaway assured to not be coming back to Stockton this season, Mangiapane will have to continue to produce and be the Heat's best player, just as he has throughout the season.

In 36 AHL games this year, Mangiapane has 19 goals and 42 points, and is obviously one-goal away from becoming the first Heat player to record 20-goals in back-to-back seasons.

BIG GOAL KLIMMER & SHINK

A penchant for scoring big goals at big times has been the modus operandi all season long and the pair of Hunter Shinkaruk and Morgan Klimchuk have done just that for the Heat, combining to score the game winning goals in four of the last six wins for the Heat in February.

Shinkaruk not only leads the team with five game winners, but is also tied for fourth most in the AHL while Klimchuk's four is tied for 17th most in the AHL.

MILESTONE WEEKEND

We have a chance to see two players for the Heat hit major milestones, the first being Rasmus Andersson, who is set to play his 100th AHL game the next time he steps foot on the ice for the Heat, while Luke Gazdic could hit his 500th pro game as soon as Sunday, just two games shy of playing in his 500th NHL and AHL game.

HEAT REBOUND IN FEBRUARY, PREPARE FOR BUSY MARCH

After a 4-5-0-1 January, the Heat rebounded nicely in February, posting a 6-3-0-0 record including a couple third period, comeback wins against Grand Rapids and San Jose.

Stockton prepares for the busiest month of the season with 13 games in March. Stockton is a combined 14-10-1-1 in the two previous seasons during March.

SHINY NEW MEDAL AND CONTRACT

With the 2018 Winter Olympics all wrapped up, Heat defenseman Cody Goloubef is back in Stockton with not only a shiny new Bronze Medal, but also a new NHL deal that he inked with the Calgary Flames through the rest of the season.

Goloubef earned the bronze when Canada beat the Czech Republic 6-4 with the defender recording two assists in his Olympic finale.

INTERESTING FACT

One of the most incredible stats for the Heat this season is Stockton's ability to score the game's opening goal. The Heat lead the league scoring first in 35 of their 49 games.

That's 71.4% of the time the Heat grab the lead first, the highest percentage in the AHL.

Check out the Stockton Heat Statistics

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American Hockey League Stories from March 3, 2018


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