Poirier Scores Two in Return from Injury in Heat Win
Published on December 10, 2015 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Stockton Heat News Release
San Antonio, TEX - Forward Emile Poirier returned to the lineup in style after being absent since November 27th with a two-goal performance to power the Stockton Heat past the San Antonio Rampage 3-2 Thursday night. Poirier's efforts were good for his first multi-point game since opening night and it was his first multi-goal game on the season. Bill Arnold tallied the first goal for the Heat, while Turner Elson collected a pair of helpers on the Poirier goals for the alternate captain's fourth multi-point effort of the year. Goaltender Joni Ortio was tough to beat between the pipes all night, stopping 23 of the 25 shots he faced, including a beautiful snare with the glove in the third period to preserve the Heat's lead. The Stockton Heat will now try to ride their modest two-game win streak into Cedar Park, Texas Saturday night when they take on the Texas Stars for their final game in the state of Texas this season.
OFFICIAL BOX SCORE
SCORING SUMMARY
1st Period
San Antonio goal: F Andrew Agozzino (9) slap shot from the circle off a drop pass goes off the bar and in past the goaltender (Hishon, Bigras assists), 6:41
HEAT GOAL: F Bill Arnold (4) backhander from the slot goes high past the goaltender (Riley, Kylington assists), 7:16
San Antonio goal: F Dennis Everberg (5) shot from the far circle kicks off a defender's skate and past the goaltender (Rendulic, Zadorov assists), 8:08
Shots: STK - 11 | SA - 7
2nd Period
HEAT GOAL: F Emile Poirier (2) shot from the slot kicks off the end boards and is tucked in behind the goaltender off the rebound (Elson, Grant assists), 4:20
Shots: STK - 20 | SA - 1
3rd Period
HEAT GOAL: F Emile Poirier (3) rush down the farside wall leads to a forehand-backhand centering move and the puck is put around the goaltender (Elson assist), 1:25
Shots: STK - 11 | SA - 7
GOALIES
W: Joni Ortio (25 shots, 23 saves)
L: Calvin Pickard (42 shots, 39 saves)
NOTABLE STATISTICS
Three Stars: 1- Emile Poirier (2 goals) 2- Turner Elson (2 assists) 3- Andrew Agozzino (1 goal)
Final Shots: STK - 42 | SA - 25
Power Plays: STK - 0/5 | SA - 0/1
Emile Poirier returned to the lineup after missing three games with an upper body injury and scored the tying and winning goals for his first multi-goal game of the season
Joni Ortio has tied Kevin Poulin for the longest win streak by a Stockton goaltender with two wins back-to-backd
Turner Elson earned his fourth multi-point game of the year and now has at least one point in back-to-back games
Oliver Kylington (1 assist) has at least one point in back-to-back games (2 assists)
Derek Grant (1 assist) has at least one point in back-to-back games (2 goals, 1 assist)
Bill Arnold (1 goal) has at least one point in back-to-back games (1 goal, 1 assist)
QUOTES
"I think that was my goal to comeback and make an impact right away. It went well this game, so I'm happy with it for sure." - Emile Poirier on his feelings after his first game back from injury.
"I was pretty off there in the first couple games of the season, but I think it's good to get these goals tonight. It's about keeping it going and forgetting about this one though now. I have to keep it going." - Poirier on breaking his own scoring slump.
"It's huge. That is a good team and I think it's a big deal that we're back at .500. This win is huge for us moving forward." - Poirier on how big this win is for the Heat.
"I don't think he would be overly happy with his first period to be honest. He did find a way onto the scoresheet, but he got better as the game went on. I think he played smarter and because of that he got an opportunity to score, and typically when he gets those chances he makes them count like he did tonight." - Head Coach Ryan Huska on the play of Poirier in his first game back.
"Things happen like that, but I don't like the way we gave them those opportunities [in the first]. That was frustrating - not so much the goals in a short period of time, but we made a couple mistakes that we don't make or shouldn't make. We had a pinch at the wrong time and neutral zone turnover against skilled guys that will make you pay. Unfortunately, they did at that time." - Coach Huska on the three-goal burst in the first that led to a 2-1 deficit for the Heat.
"Our power play as a whole didn't really do much tonight for us. Sometimes the guys squeeze their sticks a little too much. They want to do well, but it hasn't been fluid over the last little while, so we just have to simplify. Shoot the puck, be hungry after rebounds and be sure we have traffic in front of the net." - Coach Huska on the power-play going 0/5 tonight.
"Road wins are huge and these guys should be proud that we're back to .500. That's an accomplishment considering we were a few under there for awhile and grinding away trying to figure out our identity. Now we have something to feel really good about heading into Austin." - Coach Huska on what back-to-back wins means moving forward.
NEXT HOME GAME
STOCKTON HEAT vs. Bakersfield Condors
December 16 @ Stockton Arena
First 1,000 fans receive a Turner Elson oversized trading card
Doors @ 6:00 p.m., Puck drop @ 7:00 p.m.
American Hockey League Stories from December 10, 2015
- Rampage Drop 3-2 Decision to Heat - San Antonio Rampage
- Poirier Scores Two in Return from Injury in Heat Win - Stockton Heat
- NHL Veteran D Mark Fayne Assigned to Condors; Nikitin Recalled - Bakersfield Condors
- Wolves' Epilepsy Awareness Night Features Special Jersey Auction and T-Shirt Giveaway - Chicago Wolves
- Consistency Earns Bodie Wolf Pack Leadership Position - Hartford Wolf Pack
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- Canucks Reassign Ronalds Kenins to the Comets - Utica Comets
- Tampa Bay Lightning Reassign Andrei Vasilevskiy to Syracuse Crunch, Recall Kristers Gudlevskis - Syracuse Crunch
- Penguins Recall Matia Marcantuoni - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
- Rampage Recall D Cody Corbett - San Antonio Rampage
- Heat Visit San Antonio for Final Time this Season - Stockton Heat
- Phantoms Partner with Valley Youth House for 2015 Teddy Bear Toss - Lehigh Valley Phantoms
- Upstate Services Group Charitable Nights at the Syracuse Crunch - Syracuse Crunch
- IceCaps Sign Pither to PTO - St. John's IceCaps
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