HEAT EXTEND POINT STREAK TO TEAM-RECORD 12 GAMES WITH SUNDAY WIN
STOCKTON, Calif. – With a 4-for-5 performance from the penalty kill and multi-point outings from Jakob Pelletier, Byron Froese and Matthew Phillips, the Stockton Heat (10-0-2-0) defeated the Ontario Reign (10-2-0-1) by a 4-2 final in a clash of the Pacific Division’s top two teams Sunday at Toyota Arena.
With the win, the Heat extended their point streak to 12 games, setting a new team record. Center Glenn Gawdin etched his name atop Stockton’s all-time scoring leaderboard with an assist on the game-clinching empty-netter, his 110th career AHL point.
The Reign took the upper hand in the first, Gabriel Vilardi getting the last touch for the home team on a puck that skidded past Dustin Wolf for a 1-0 edge. The lead lasted less than two minutes as Pelletier took a puck in the high slot and beat netminder Garret Sparks to pull even after 20 minutes.
The Heat gained control in the second frame with scores from Adam Ruzicka and Froese, both tallies coming on the power play as Stockton amassed a multi-goal edge. The Reign struck back right before the horn sounded on the second stanza as Helge Grans put a deflection into the back of the net with less than six seconds remaining to pull Ontario back within striking distance.
The teams battled to a scoreless draw through the third until Luke Philp’s empty netter, assisted by Gawdin and Colton Poolman, with less than a second remaining for the 4-2 final.
NOTABLE
- With a pair of assists, Matthew Phillips surpassed Andrew Mangiapane for third place in Heat scoring history with 105 points.
- With a goal and an assist, Jakob Pelletier moved to second among active AHL rookies with 15 points on the season.
- Adam Ruzicka became the first AHL player to reach 10 goals this season with his second period tally.
- With an assist on Luke Philp’s empty net goal, Glenn Gawdin overtook Ryan Lomberg for sole possession of first place in scoring (110 points) in Stockton’s franchise history.
- Stockton is 10-0-2-0 over the team-best, 12-game point streak.
- The Heat are now 5-0-0-0 on the road this season. It was Ontario’s first home regulation loss on the year.
SPECIAL TEAMS
STK PP – 2-for-5
STK PK – 4-for-5
THREE STARS
First – Dustin Wolf (31 svs)
Second – Byron Froese (1g, 1a)
Third – Gabriel Vilardi (1g)
GOALIES
W – Dustin Wolf (31 saves on 33 shots faced)
L – Garret Sparks (28 saves on 32 shots faced)
UP NEXT
The Heat and Reign conclude their two-game set Monday at 7 p.m. Stockton will then head to Colorado for a pair of games Friday and Saturday.