Heat Stall Rampage in 6-2 Victory in Stockton
January 14, 2016 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Stockton Heat News Release
Stockton, Calif. - The Stockton Heat faced the San Antonio Rampage in a midweek clash Wednesday night at Stockton Arena, routing the Rampage by a score of 6-2. Five different players scored for the Heat, with Freddie Hamilton earning first star honors as the only multi-goal scorer. Derek Grant also had a big night, extending his point streak to a personal-best, and team-best six games while Morgan Klimchuk, Kenny Agostino and Aaron Johnson also tallied goals for Stockton. The Stockton Heat now look to take their success on the road, facing the Rockford IceHogs Saturday in Illinois before traveling to Iowa for a Sunday tilt against the Wild.
SCORING SUMMARY
1st Period
HEAT GOAL: F Derek Grant (16) rebound off a kick save is sent past the goaltender's outstretched pad (Poirier, Agostino assists), 7:39
HEAT GOAL: F Morgan Klimchuk (3) pass from below the goal line is tapped into the net from the top of the crease (Elson assist), 8:09
San Antonio goal: F Reid Petryk (7) shorthanded breakaway attempt is taken from the forehand to the backhand and tucked behind the goaltender (Henley assist), 11:36 (SH)
Shots: STK - 15 | SA - 6
2nd Period
HEAT GOAL: F Freddie Hamilton (9) rebound off a shot from the slot squirts out to the backdoor and is backhanded past the goaltender (Elson, Hathaway assists), 4:40 (PP)
HEAT GOAL: F Kenny Agostino (8) tic-tac-toe play is finished on the backdoor with an easy tap-in (Poirier, Grant assists), 9:39
San Antonio goal: F Dennis Everberg (10) shot from the half-wall kicks off the goaltender and the rebound is stuffed through the five-hole and into the net (Corbett, Cliche assists), 13:15
Shots: STK - 14 | SA - 15
3rd Period
HEAT GOAL: D Aaron Johnson (2) point shot off the draw goes through traffic and past the goaltender (Kulak, Hamilton assists), 10:37 (PP)
HEAT GOAL: F Freddie Hamilton (10) catch-and-shoot opportunity from the high-slot goes off the goaltender's shoulder and into the net (Van Brabant assist), 16:06
Shots: STK - 4 | SA - 12
GOALIES
W: Kevin Poulin (33 shots, 31 saves)
L: Spencer Martin (33 shots, 27 saves)
NOTABLE STATISTICS
Three Stars: 1- Freddie Hamilton (2 goals, 1 assist) 2- Kenny Agostino (1 goal, 1 assist) 3- Kevin Poulin (33 shots, 31 saves)
Final Shots: STK - 33 | SA - 33
Power Plays: STK - 2/5 | SA - 0/5
Derek Grant (1 goal, 1 assist) extends his point streak to a personal AHL career-long six games. It is also the longest in Stockton Heat team history (5 goals, 3 assists)
Turner Elson (2 assists) earns his fifth multi-point game of the season and now has at least one point in back-to-back (3 assists)
Freddie Hamilton (2 goals, 1 assist) earns his second three-point game of the season
Kenny Agostino (1 goal, 1 assist) earns his seventh multi-point game of the season
Emile Poirier (2 assists) earns his fourth multi-point game of the season
Kevin Poulin (33 shots, 31 saves) now has at least 30 saves in five of his six starts in a Stockton Heat sweater
Drew Shore's four-game point streak came to an end against San Antonio (2 goals, 4 assists)
The Stockton Heat have earned points in five of their last six games and nine of a possible 12 points over that stretch
According to Coach Huska, Bill Arnold suffered a lower body injury during the first period. He left the game and did not return. Coach Huska said he needed to be evaluated and could be considered "more likely week-to-week than day-to-day"
QUOTES
"Aside from that last game [against Ontario last week] we've been playing better hockey and we've really been playing full 60s for the most part. I think we took big strides in practice this week and tonight was probably our best game start to finish." - Derek Grant on the Heat as a team earning points in five of their last six games.
"I think it's getting good bounces and playing with good guys. I'm playing with Kenny Agostino and Emile Poirier right now and they're tremendously skilled guys. They make things really easy for me and I can say the same things about the guys I was playing with before. I just try to get to open areas and the puck just seems to find me lately." - Grant on his own personal six-game point streak.
"I really think we're on a good run here overall. We're playing from the defensive zone out and that's important. It's helped us string some games together here and hopefully we can keep it going." - Kenny Agostino on the recent success of the Heat.
"[My goal] was another easy one for me. Derek [Grant] and Emile [Poirier] are both really skilled, talented players and we seem to have some good chemistry together. It showed on that tic-tac-toe play right around the net there and I just had to tap it in." - Agostino on his goal in the second period.
"This league is weird with a lot of different swings throughout the season, so you're never out of it in this league. I've seen teams go on 10-game winning streaks right after a 10-game losing streak. There is a lot of change in the standings throughout the season and we just have to stay with it no matter where we are in the standings." - Freddie Hamilton on trying to climb back into the playoff race in the Pacific Division.
"We wanted to feel good about ourselves ahead of our little mini-trip to the Midwest this weekend. We wanted to go out on a good note and we were able to do that. There were a lot of things we did pretty well tonight. Our power play scored a couple for us and our penalty kill did a pretty good job all night." - Head Coach Ryan Huska on his overall thoughts of tonight's win.
"I thought [Kevin Poulin] was good again for us tonight. You need your goaltenders to make saves and I thought there was a stretch where we were on our heels in the second period and he stepped up. There are moments in every game where the opponent will be attacking and you need to be able to rely on your goaltender to make saves. We were able to do that tonight." - Coach Huska on the play of Kevin Poulin in net.
NEXT HOME GAME
STOCKTON HEAT vs. Manitoba Moose
January 22 @ Stockton Arena
First 1,000 adults 18 & over receive a Heat cap
Doors @ 6:30 p.m., Puck drop @ 7:30 p.m.
American Hockey League Stories from January 14, 2016
- D Brad Hunt Assigned by Edmonton to Bakersfield - Bakersfield Condors
- Wolf Pack Return Alex Krushelnyski to Utah - Hartford Wolf Pack
- Red Wings Assign Nedomlel to Toledo - Grand Rapids Griffins
- The Distillery to Hold Ghost Wing-Eating Contest, Postgame Party at January 18 Amerks Game - Rochester Americans
- Nashville Acquires D-Man Mullen for Conor Allen - Milwaukee Admirals
- Senators Acquire Defenseman Conor Allen from Nashville in Exchange for Patrick Mullen - Binghamton Senators
- Wolf Pack's Nicholls Strives for Full-Time AHL Duty - Hartford Wolf Pack
- IceCaps Unveil Royal Newfoundland Regiment Jersey - St. John's IceCaps
- Pink in the Rink Highlights Weekend Homestand - Rockford IceHogs
- Canucks Recall Taylor Fedun from the Comets - Utica Comets
- Jesper Pettersson Reassigned to Reading - Lehigh Valley Phantoms
- Lehner Recalled from Conditioning Assignment - Rochester Americans
- Texas Recalls Kamrass from ECHL - Texas Stars
- Bears Sign Forward Scott Gomez to Professional Tryout - Hershey Bears
- Gulls Rally for One Point But Fall in Overtime, 2-1 - San Diego Gulls
- Heat Stall Rampage in 6-2 Victory in Stockton - Stockton Heat
- SJ Barracuda Open Road Trip in Style with 2-1 Overtime Victory in San Diego - San Jose Barracuda
- Rampage Finish Road Trip with 6-2 Loss to Heat - San Antonio Rampage
- Manitoba Moose Post-Game Report - Manitoba vs. Lake Erie - January 13 - Manitoba Moose
- Griffins Split Series in Charlotte, Fall to Checkers 4-3 - Grand Rapids Griffins
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
