Heat, Marlies Kick off Two-Game Set Friday
March 5, 2021 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Stockton Heat News Release
Friday, March 5, 2021
Matchup: Stockton Heat (3-2-0-0; 2nd Canadian) at Toronto Marlies (6-4-0-0; 2nd Canadian)
Arena: Coca-Cola Coliseum | Toronto, ON
Time: 5:00 p.m. MST | 4:00 p.m. PST
Broadcast: Tonight's game will be available on AHLTV.com as well as free on Facebook as the AHL's Facebook Watch Game of the Week. The game will also air on TSN2 in Canada.
Follow Along: For live, in-game updates, follow the Heat on Twitter @AHLHeat.
TONIGHT
The Heat look to stay rolling as they bring the Canadian Division's longest active win streak to Toronto for the front end of a Friday-Saturday double-header against the Marlies. The game will be the fifth meeting of the season between the divisional foes, with the teams splitting a four-game set last week at the Scotiabank Saddledome.
RUZICKA'S RUN UNMATCHED
Adam Ruzicka is on a roll, having recorded three points in three-straight games with five goals and four assists to lead Stockton to its three-game win streak. The feat is unmatched in Stockton Heat team history, and it never occurred for Calgary AHL affiliates Adirondack, Abbotsford, Quad City or Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben.
TOP LINE LETHAL
It's not just Ruzicka filling the net for the Heat. The trio of rookie Connor Zary, Ruzicka and third-year pro Matthew Phillips has combined for 20 points over Stockton's three-game win streak. Most recently it was Zary who got the scoring going, lighting the lamp twice in the opening frame Wednesday at Belleville.
POWER OUTAGE
Stockton has put the clamps down on opposing power plays during the past four games, holding opponents scoreless on 13 chances in that span. The Heat, who led the AHL on the penalty kill in 2019-20, rank fourth in the AHL entering play Friday with the only blemishes coming from the Marlies' pair of scores on the man-advantage in the season opener.
FAST STARTS
After conceding the first goal in each of their first three games, Stockton has responded by jumping on top in back-to-back contests. Each time it was a rookie who got the scoring going, with Emilio Pettersen lighting the match for Stockton's eight-goal explosion a week ago against the Marlies and Zary finding the back of the net less than four minutes into action on Wednesday.
SPARKS WILL FLY
Garret Sparks came up big in his second start of the season, earning his first win with the Heat behind a 38-save performance against the Senators - a season-high for Stockton.
American Hockey League Stories from March 5, 2021
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- Quinney's Hat Trick Pushes Henderson to 4-2 Win over Eagles - Colorado Eagles
- Tight Defense Lifts Moose over Belleville, 3-1 - Manitoba Moose
- Wolves Drop Shootout to Monsters - Chicago Wolves
- Monsters Hold on for 4-3 Shootout Win over League-Leading Wolves - Cleveland Monsters
- Three-Point Trio Leads Stockton to Friday Win - Stockton Heat
- Guhle to Gulls - San Diego Gulls
- Game Preview: Condors Live on 23abc Saturday at 3 p.m. - Bakersfield Condors
- Bears Sign Defender Andrew Nielsen to Tryout Agreement - Hershey Bears
- Vancouver Canucks Defenseman Guillaume Brisebois Loaned to the Laval Rocket - Laval Rocket
- Rasmussen and Lindstrom Return from Detroit - Grand Rapids Griffins
- American Hockey League Announces Schedule Change - AHL
- Game Day Build-Up: Senators vs Moose March 5th - Belleville Senators
- Game #9 Texas at Tucson - Tucson Roadrunners
- Ontario Reign Announce Broadcast Updates - Ontario Reign
- Heat, Marlies Kick off Two-Game Set Friday - Stockton Heat
- An Improved Otto - Laval Rocket
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