Top Two Teams in Pacific Face off Sunday in Ontario
Published on November 21, 2021 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Stockton Heat News Release
Sunday, November 21, 2021
TODAY'S MATCHUP: Stockton Heat (9-0-2-0; 1st Pacific) at Ontario Reign (10-1-0-1; 2nd Pacific)
LOCATION: Toyota Arena | Ontario, California
TIME: 3:00 p.m. PST
TUNE IN: Tonight's game can be streamed on AHLTV, and the radio call is available via Spreaker.
HEAT INDEX
It's been more than a week since the Heat hit the ice and saw their team-record, nine-game win streak come to a close with an overtime setback against the Henderson Silver Knights, but Stockton's 11th-straight game with a point has the Heat on the precipice of history yet again. The Sunday matinee against Ontario is the first of eight scheduled meetings this season between the clubs, who enter the contest at the top of the Pacific Division.
TILT AT THE TOP
With wins against every team in the Pacific Division except one, the Stockton Heat look to add another team to their wall as they face off against the Ontario Reign for the first time this season. Stockton and Ontario come into the game as the top two teams in the Pacific, the Heat leading in point percentage and the Reign on top in points with one more game played on the year.
NEVER HAVE WE EVER
Stockton comes into Sunday's game with a chance to set a new team record for longest point streak, currently tied with the 11-game run to close out the 2016-17 regular season. In the previous 11-game streak, the Heat went 7-0-3-1 from March 24 through April 15, 2017, two points back of the club's current pace.
LEADING THE PACK
Sunday's showdown features two players tied for the AHL's lead in goals on the year as Stockton's Adam Ruzicka and Ontario's Martin Frk each have lit the lamp nine times this season. Ruzicka has eight goals in the last seven contests, a marker in back-to-back contests, while Frk has six in the last six but has been held without a goal in two of the last three.
SOMETHING'S GOTTA GIVE
The matchup of Stockton and Ontario brings a showdown between the AHL's leading offensive unit in the Reign (4.33 goals per game) and the league's second-most-stingy defensive club in the Heat (2.18 goals against per game). On the flip side, Stockton ranks fifth on offense (3.55 goals per game) while Ontario is 10th in team defense (2.83 goals against per game).
RIGHT AT HOME ON THE ROAD
As the Heat hit the road for the fifth and sixth road contests of the young campaign, Stockton looks to continue its strong play away from Stockton Arena with a record of 4-0-0-0 and scoring differential of 19-9. Ontario has held serve at Toyota Arena thus far this season to the tune of a 5-0-0-1 mark.
American Hockey League Stories from November 21, 2021
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- 5 Things: Heat at Ontario - Stockton Heat
- Marlies Look to Complete Back-To-Back with Win vs. Cleveland - Toronto Marlies
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