Heat Look to Close 2021 on High Note Friday against San Jose
December 31, 2021 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Stockton Heat News Release
Friday, December 31, 2021
TODAY'S MATCHUP: Stockton Heat (18-2-2-1; 1st Pacific) vs. San Jose Barracuda (10-13-1-0; 8th Pacific)
LOCATION: Stockton Arena | Stockton, California
TIME: 1:00 p.m. PST
TUNE IN: Today's game can be streamed on AHLTV, and the radio call is available both on Fox Sports Stockton 1280 and online via Spreaker.
HEAT INDEX
It's been nearly two weeks since the Stockton Heat last saw game action, the last two scheduled bouts for the AHL affiliate of the Calgary Flames getting postponed due to COVID-19 protocols. The Heat look to pick up right where they left off prior to the holiday break, the club bringing an eight-game point streak (7-0-0-1) into today's matchup with the Barracuda.
SERIAL PENALTY KILLERS
Stockton's penalty kill has been nearly perfect in the month of December, the club having killed 28 consecutive opponent power plays and nullifying 43 of the last 44, a stretch that dates back to the November 22 game against Ontario. In that time, the Heat PK has outscored opposing power plays by a 3-1 margin in 73:20 time on ice, most recently lighting the lamp with Luke Philp's tap-in during Stockton's last game, December 18. With the recent run, Stockton has upped its penalty killing performance to a league-leading 90.5-percent clip with an AHL-best 93.0-percent on home ice.
GONE FISHING
Stockton has dominated in each of the two meetings with San Jose this season, winning the first matchup between the clubs by a 4-1 final at the SAP Center and earning a 10-1 victory over the Barracuda at Stockton Arena on December 7. The Heat have won six of the last seven games against San Jose on home ice, a stretch that dates back to February 24, 2019.
A SHOT AT PERFECTION
If the Heat win or push the game to overtime tonight, they will clinch their first perfect month in team history with at least a point in every game. Stockton comes into today's tilt with a record of 7-0-0-1 in December and has won four consecutive games as the Heat will look to send 2021 off on a high note.
THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME
Stockton is the only AHL team without a regulation loss this season on home ice, the Heat owning an AHL-best record of 11-0-2-0 at home on the year. The Heat are clicking 22.2-percent on the power play and operating at a stingy 93.0-percent down a skater at Stockton Arena and have outscored opponents 47-24 at home, 27-16 at 5-on-5.
TOP OF THE CLASS
Each of the teams in today's game claims a rookie at the top of the AHL's freshman class scoring race, Stockton's Jakob Pelletier the leader at 27 points on the year and San Jose's Scott Reedy third among the group with 22. Pelletier has four assists in two games against the Barracuda this season and has claimed a point in back-to-back games coming into the New Year's Eve tilt, including a goal in Stockton's last game, played on December 18.
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American Hockey League Stories from December 31, 2021
- Depleted Griffins Close out 2021 with Win over Milwaukee - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Phantoms Rally From 5-1 Deficit in OT Win - Lehigh Valley Phantoms
- Henderson Silver Knights Sign Ian McCoshen to Contract - Henderson Silver Knights
- Barracuda Blank Top Team in the West, 4-0 - San Jose Barracuda
- Wild Drop New Year's Eve Tilt to Colorado in a Shootout, 3-2 - Iowa Wild
- San Diego Gulls Sign Brent Gates Jr. to SPC and Sean Josling to PTO - San Diego Gulls
- Heat Clipped by Barracuda Friday - Stockton Heat
- Providence Bruins Close out 2021 with 4-0 Win over Hartford Wolf Pack - Providence Bruins
- Miska Dazzles in Colorado's 3-2 Shootout Win over Wild - Colorado Eagles
- Wolf Pack Fall 4-0 in 2021 Finale against Bruins - Hartford Wolf Pack
- Blue Jackets Recall Defenseman Scott Harrington from Monsters - Cleveland Monsters
- New 2:35 p.m. Start Time for Saturday's T-Birds Game - Springfield Thunderbirds
- 5 THINGS: HEAT vs. SJ - Stockton Heat
- Panthers Recall Chase Priskie and Matt Kiersted to Taxi Squad - Charlotte Checkers
- IceHogs Goaltender Cale Morris Signs First NHL Contract & First NHL Callup to Chicago Blackhawks - Rockford IceHogs
- Game Preview vs. Ontario: December 31 - Henderson Silver Knights
- Wolf Pack Sign Defenseman Blake Thompson to PTO - Hartford Wolf Pack
- MacKinnon Recalled to Phantoms - Lehigh Valley Phantoms
- Bears Sign Forward Colby McAuley to PTO - Hershey Bears
- Heat Look to Close 2021 on High Note Friday against San Jose - Stockton Heat
- Wolf Pack Return Home to Close out 2021 - Hartford Wolf Pack
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