Morning Skate: Heat Look to Rebound Thursday Against Belleville
Matchup: Stockton Heat (10-12-1-0; 4th Canadian) vs. Belleville Senators (8-12-1-0; 5th Canadian)
Arena: Scotiabank Saddledome | Calgary, AB
Time: 5:00 p.m. MT | 4:00 p.m. PT
Broadcast: Tonight’s game will be available on AHLTV.com.
Follow Along: For live, in-game updates, follow the Heat on Twitter @AHLHeat.
TONIGHT
Stockton looks to bounce back from a hump day defeat, a 4-2 final at the hands of the Belleville Senators. The Heat started fast, taking the lead just past the five-minute mark into action, but were outlasted by the Senators who rattled off four of the next five markers between the teams. The Heat will look to put an end to a five-game home slump in the contest.
IT’S ALWAYS SUNNY IN PHILLY-DELPHIA
Matthew Phillips shook off a 10-game goalless drought with his team-leading seventh multi-point effort of the season, earning an assist on Stockton’s game-opening goal and then lighting the lamp to tie the game at two before the first intermission. With his two-point effort, Phillips moved to second in season scoring for Stockton with 18 points.
LES IS MORE
Zac Leslie notched his first power play goal of the season to break the ice in Wednesday’s game, his first point on the man-advantage for the campaign. Leslie, who enjoyed a career year with the Heat in 2019-20, has four points in Stockton’s last six games and is up to second among active Heat defensemen in scoring for the year.
ZAV-SCORE-ODNIY STRIKES AGAIN
After going 20 games into his pro career without a point, Dmitry Zavgorodniy has assembled a point streak heading into Thursday’s game. The rookie winger has pocketed a helper in each of Stockton’s last two outings, most recently finding Phillips for Stockton’s second goal of the evening on Wednesday.
LOOKING FOR LEADS
The Heat have been strong this season when taking leads into the intermission, including marks of 5-0-0 on the year when leading after one and 7-0-0 with the upper hand after two. Conversely, the Heat are 5-12-1 on the year when tied or trailing after 20 minutes and 3-12-1 when tied or trailing through 40.
AGAINST THE ODDS
Stockton came into Wednesday’s game 8-3-0 on the year when scoring first, but the Heat were unable to hold on to the early edge in the series opener against the Senators. Of Stockton’s four losses when gaining a 1-0 lead, half of the setbacks have come at the hands of the Belleville Senators. The Heat have scored first in all four meetings this year.