Heat Open Season at Colorado Friday
October 4, 2019 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Stockton Heat News Release
Arena: Budweiser Events Center | Loveland, Colorado
Date: Friday, October 4
Time: 6:05 p.m. PST
Broadcast: Watch tonight's game on AHLTV or hear Stockton's radio call on Spreaker and iHeartRadio.
Join The Conversation: For live, in-game tweets, follow the Heat on Twitter. Join the conversation by replying to our updates or using the hashtag #STKvsCOL.
TONIGHT
The Stockton Heat begin their 2019-20 campaign with the first of a pair of road contests at the Budweiser Events Center in Loveland, Colorado. All-time, the Heat are 3-1 in season-openers, losing only the opening night showdown of the 2018-19 campaign against Pacific Division champion Bakersfield.
The contest is the first of eight games in the season's first month, five of which will come away from Stockton Arena.
ROCKY MOUNTAIN HIGH
The Heat gave a harsh welcome to the newest AHL club last season, finishing the eight-game season series against the first-year member of the league with a record of 6-1-0-1, including a 3-1 mark at Colorado. Stockton was led by Alan Quine in those matchups, the forward posting 12 points (3g,9a) in eight games against the Eagles.
FILL 'ER UP
Stockton finished fourth in the AHL last season with 3.46 goals per game, a mark that was bested only by Bakersfield (3.56), San Diego (3.51) and Syracuse (3.47). The Heat return eight of the top 12 scorers from that squad, highlighted by the team's reigning Offensive Player of the Year, Quine, and Dillon Dube, who finished the year second among AHL rookies with 1.05 points per game.
OVERWHELMING WHILE SHORTHANDED
The Heat led the AHL last year in shorthanded goals, popping in an impressive 17 - averaging one every four games - over their 68-game slate. Leading the way for Stockton was forward Ryan Lomberg, who finished the season with four shorties. Lomberg registered a SHG in the Heat's preseason finale against the Bakersfield Condors.
ZIG ZAG
Netminder Artyom Zagidulin will be a player to watch this year in Stockton with the highly-touted Russian goaltender on his first North American contract. Zagidulin has gotten off to a hot start in the Flames' system, pitching a shutout in the Calgary's first prospects game against Edmonton and then earning a win over Bakersfield in the preseason. Last season, Zagidulin posted a 1.96 GAA with a .924 SVP with Mettalurg Magnitogorsk.
CALIFORNIA DREAMING
This weekend's games against the Eagles are the team's only contests outside of The Golden State in the first month of the season - next heading off the coast in the second weekend of November as the team will head to Tucson. The trip is one of two to Loveland this season, the next and final coming over Thanksgiving weekend on November 29 and 30.
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American Hockey League Stories from October 4, 2019
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- Colorado Eagles Make Series of Transactions - Colorado Eagles
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- 2019-20 Season Preview: Q&A with Troy Mann - Belleville Senators
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- Comets Release 2019-20 Opening Night Roster - Utica Comets
- Penguins Sign Stefan Noesen - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
- Rochester Americans Game Preview - October 4 vs. Syracuse - Rochester Americans
- Thunderbirds Unveil 2019-20 Opening Night Roster - Springfield Thunderbirds
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