Heat Open Five-Game Road Trip in Bakersfield Tonight
Published on March 19, 2016 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Stockton Heat News Release
TONIGHT
The Stockton Heat play start their busiest stretch away from home as the team begins a five-game road trip starting in Bakersfield with a meeting between the teams at Rabobank Arena. While the Heat sport a terrific record at home this season, road wins have been tough to come by as the Heat have a league low seven wins on the road.
LAST TIME VS. BAKERSFIELD
The Stockton Heat started off with a solid, even period of hockey before Kenny Agostino scored for the Stockton Heat to open the game with a Heat goal.
However the Condors rattled off five-straight in the second and seven-straight total as the Condors held off the Heat 7-3. One of the lone bright spots for the Heat was that Mason Raymond registered his first goal and multi-point effort in the AHL since 2008 in that game.
WHO TO WATCH
After an amazing recovery from a fractured jaw and two goals in his return to action is there really any question as to who the player to watch is tonight?
Derek Grant returned after missing 14 games due to that jaw injury sustained on a practice day, oddly enough, at this very arena that the Heat see the Condors at tonight.
Grant has been extraordinary for the Heat this season, scoring a team high 25 goals (including his pair he scored last night against Iowa) to go along with 15 assists and a total of 40 points in just 31 games for the Heat this season.
Plenty to talk about with the forward as he has goals in his last five games (7G which is a Heat team record) and points in his last six games (8-4-12) which is one game fewer than his personal best and Heat team record setting seven game point streak that saw Grant notch 6 goals and 6 assists.
Not only that but Grant has been heating up on the road as well, recording goals in each of his last three road games (Jan. 17, Feb. 5 and Feb. 6) and has points (14) in his last nine road games dating back to December 20.
AGOSTINO RETURNS
With the news coming down yesterday afternoon that Kenny Agostino has officially been reassigned to Stockton, ending his emergency stint with the Flames, the Heat have one of their most effective forwards back in the lineup.
Agostino was the team's leading scorer when he was called up and after Hunter Shinkaruk briefly stole that honor, Agostino's three point night, his second this season (1-2-3) retook the team lead with his 45th point of the season.
Not only that but Agostino is clearly a great finisher. This year, Agostino had 8 goals, 13 assists and 21 points in his first 30 games of the season.
In his last 23 games, Agostino has 10 goals and 14 assists for 24 points.
PLAYOFF PRIMER
With the Heat in the thick of the playoff chase, we take a look at what tonight's game against the Bakersfield Condors can do for both teams.
Starting the day the Heat are sixth in the Pacific with a .519 win-percentage while Bakersfield enters Saturday, fourth in the Central at .545.
Starting with Stockton, if the Heat can pull the victory in regulation the team can get to .527 with the two-points tonight. In the event the Heat pick up just one point the team will drop to .518 while a regulation loss would send the team back to .509.
As for Bakersfield, a win would get them to .552 while an extra-time loss would pull the team to .544. A loss would put the Condors at .535.
Keep an eye on the AHL's Playoff Primer updated every morning with the latest standings and magic numbers.
INTERESTING FACT
The Heat had a great night on the power play last night against the Iowa Wild, scoring 3 goals while up a man thanks to Drew Shore and a pair from Derek Grant.
While the Heat have scored multiple power-play goals on nine occasions, it was just the second time this season the Heat have scored three in a single game. The last time? Opening night against the Rockford IceHogs when Stockton went 3 for 7 on the power play.
Saturday, March 19, 2016
Arena: Rabobank Arena
Date: March 19, 2016
Time: 7:00 p.m. PST
Broadcast: AHL Live, Spreaker, iHeartRadio & Sportsnet 960 The Fan in Calgary beginning at 6:45 p.m. PST
Leading Scorer: STOCKTON: F Kenny Agostino (51GP, 18-27-45)
BAKERSFIELD: F Matthew Ford (52GP, 24-21-45)
For the live, in-game tweets, follow @AHLHeatPR. Stay tuned at the end of the game for the Chase Chevrolet Big Moment of the Game with your chance to win an autographed Pat Sieloff puck.
American Hockey League Stories from March 19, 2016
- Gulls Bounce Back with 4-1 Victory in Ontario - San Diego Gulls
- Overtime Goal Catapults Barracuda Past Wild 3-2 - Iowa Wild
- Admirals Cruise by Checkers 6-2 - Milwaukee Admirals
- Jeremy Morin Nets Overtime Winner for Barracuda over Wild - San Jose Barracuda
- Stars Pick up Point in 6-5 Overtime Loss - Texas Stars
- Wolves Edge Icehogs In Overtime - Chicago Wolves
- Ryan Scores Two as Checkers Lose to Milwaukee - Charlotte Checkers
- B-Sens Outlast Amerks in 5-3 Win - Binghamton Senators
- Wolf Pack Force Extra Time, Win in Shootout - Hartford Wolf Pack
- Quine wins it in overtime for Bridgeport - Bridgeport Islanders
- Crunch Defeat IceCaps, 3-2 - Syracuse Crunch
- Jarry Holds Bears at Bay, Helps Penguins Nab 4-1 Win - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
- Forsberg, Monsters Shut out Moose, 5-0 - Cleveland Monsters
- Comets Handed Loss by Devils - Utica Comets
- Falcons Can't Contain Hartford In Loss - Springfield Falcons
- Syracuse Shades St. John's 3-2 - St. John's IceCaps
- Manitoba Moose Post-Game Report - Manitoba at Lake Erie - March 19 - Manitoba Moose
- Penguins Hold On To Defeat Bears - Hershey Bears
- O'Brien, Devils Dominate Comets 5-1 - Albany Devils
- Toronto Marlies Post Game Notes - Toronto Marlies
- Providence Downs Marlies in 5-4 Showstopper - Providence Bruins
- 'Canes Reassign Carrick, Sutter to Charlotte - Charlotte Checkers
- American Hockey League Announces Suspensions - AHL
- Wolves Visit Rockford for Final Time this Season - Rockford IceHogs
- Canucks Recall Forward Chris Higgins from the Comets - Utica Comets
- Reign and Gulls Clash over Pacific-Division Points Tonight - Ontario Reign
- Condors Game Preview: Los Condors Night with Jersey Auction Tonight - Bakersfield Condors
- Heat Open Five-Game Road Trip in Bakersfield Tonight - Stockton Heat
- Ontario Reign Game Preview: Reign and Gulls Clash over Pacific-Division Points Tonight - Ontario Reign
- Blue Jackets Add Korpisalo on Emergency Recall - Cleveland Monsters
- Reign Blitz Rampage in Comeback Win - Ontario Reign
- Key Returns for Heat Spark Win over Iowa - Stockton Heat
- Gulls' Win Streak Ends with 7-5 Loss to Bakersfield - San Diego Gulls
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