Van Brabant Scores Lone Goal in Close Loss to Ontario 2-1
Published on December 30, 2015 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Stockton Heat News Release
Stockton, Calif. - Bryce Van Brabant provides the offense with his third goal in as many games, but the Stockton Heat ultimately fall to the Ontario Reign by a score of 2-1 Tuesday night in a hard-fought, physical battle at Stockton Arena. Van Brabant was able to stuff home a wraparound attempt in the third period to jumpstart the Heat offense, but Peter Budaj held strong the rest of the period and closed out the victory for Ontario. The Stockton Heat will now turnaround for a quick travel day Wednesday before meeting with the Reign once again Thursday for a New Year's Eve showdown in Southern California.
SCORING SUMMARY
1st Period
No goals
Shots: STK - 11 | ONT - 16
2nd Period
Ontario goal: F Jonny Brodzinski (3) rebound at the farside of the crease is chipped into the net over the goaltender's outstretched pad (Crescenzi assist), 9:55
Ontario goal: F Jonny Brodzinski (4) turnover in the slot leads to a point blank shot that sneaks past the goaltender (unassisted), 16:22
Shots: STK - 12 | ONT - 18
3rd Period
HEAT GOAL: F Bryce Van Brabant (5) puck is taken high-to-low behind the net and the wraparound attempt is stuffed between the post and the goaltender's skate (Carroll, Heard assists), 2:16
Shots: STK - 17 | ONT - 10
GOALIES
W: Peter Budaj (40 shots, 39 saves)
L: Joni Ortio (44 shots, 42 saves)
NOTABLE STATISTICS
Three Stars: 1- Jonny Brodzinski (2 goals) 2- Peter Budaj (40 shots, 39 saves) 3- Bryce Van Brabant (1 goal)
Final Shots: STK - 40 | ONT - 44
Power Plays: STK - 0/3 | ONT - 0/2
Bryce Van Brabant (1 goal) scored his fifth goal of the season and his third in three games
Derek Grant was held without a point, ending his five-game point streak. The streak was tied for the longest of his AHL career and he scored 8 points (4 goals, 4 assists) during his most current streak.
Mitchell Heard (1 assist) scores his first point of the season as a member of the Stockton Heat
QUOTES
"It was one of those things where I'm just trying to set the tone for the game and get some energy going for the boys. Coming off a loss the other night, you just want to build some energy and some jump in our game. They're a top team in our division and we wanted to let them know we were here to play tonight." - Mitchell Heard on his first period fight with Curt Gogol.
"It was a good feeling to score that goal. We had a bit of a slow start tonight and had a couple bad bounces go against us, but once we were on the board we had a little more energy." - Bryce Van Brabant on his goal tonight.
"[Peter Budaj] is an NHL goalie that played in that league for many years. Any time he sees a shot, he's going to stop it and he showed that tonight - [Freddie] Hamilton had a few that were unbelievable shots that most goalies probably wouldn't stop, but he made those key saves. Those are big turning points for them in the game." - Van Brabant on facing a tough goaltender in Peter Budaj.
"[We played] much better than our last couple games. I think our work ethic was back to where it normally is and I thought our goaltending and backend were good tonight as well. [The Ontario Reign] are a very good hockey team and we just had a tough time finishing tonight. Our effort was much improved from what you saw in the past couple games." - Head Coach Ryan Huska on his team's effort tonight.
"For whatever reason, when you have a few bad games in a row it takes a little bit to get yourself back on track. You have to earn the bounces or the 'puck luck' that winning teams get and I think today we went back to working and competing. Now we have to maintain that when we go to Ontario and face a tough team in a tough building." - Coach Huska on trying right the ship and an improved game tonight.
NEXT HOME GAME
STOCKTON HEAT vs. Texas Stars
January 2 @ Stockton Arena
Paint the Ice Night
Doors @ 3:00 p.m., Puck drop @ 4:00 p.m.
American Hockey League Stories from December 30, 2015
- Amerks Topple IceCaps with 3-2 Shootout Win - Rochester Americans
- Wolves Can't Ring out Year with Win - Chicago Wolves
- IceCaps Drop 3-2 Shootout Decision to Americans - St. John's IceCaps
- Untouchable on Home Ice, Albany Devils Prevail in Overtime - Albany Devils
- Falcons Allow Three Power Play Goals in Loss - Springfield Falcons
- Hargrove's Two Goals Defeat Falcons, 4-3 - Providence Bruins
- Comets Nab First Point vs Devils in 3-2 Overtime Loss - Utica Comets
- Barracuda Close out 2015 with 3-2 Shootout Thriller - San Jose Barracuda
- Altshuller Shines in Shootout Loss to San Jose - Charlotte Checkers
- Blackhawks Assign Rundblad - Rockford IceHogs
- Radek Faksa Recalled by Dallas Stars - Texas Stars
- Arrowhead Captures Admirals Cup - Milwaukee Admirals
- Mackenzie Skapski Reassigned to Greenville - Hartford Wolf Pack
- Rockford Ends Year 2015 Tonight at the BMO Harris Bank Center - Rockford IceHogs
- Sam Gagner Loaned to Phantoms - Lehigh Valley Phantoms
- Chicago Wolves Weekly Notes - Chicago Wolves
- Rockford Recalls Carruth, Mattson - Rockford IceHogs
- Red Wings Assign Tangradi to Grand Rapids - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Desrosiers Recalled from ECHL - Texas Stars
- Syracuse Crunch Release Luke Pither from PTO - Syracuse Crunch
- Islanders Reassign Burroughs to Sound Tigers - Bridgeport Islanders
- Penguins Recall John McCarron from Wheeling - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
- Van Brabant Scores Lone Goal in Close Loss to Ontario 2-1 - Stockton Heat
- Budaj and Brodzinski Lead Reign over Heat, 2-1 - Ontario Reign
- Mazanec Stops 30 Shots as Milwaukee Blanks Griffins, 3-0 - Grand Rapids Griffins
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