5 THINGS: HEAT vs. SJ, 4.2.22
STOCKTON HEAT (39-12-4-1) vs SAN JOSE BARRACUDA (20-34-2-2)
6:00 p.m. PDT | Broadcast: AHLTV, Fox Sports 1280, Spreaker
Leading Scorers
Heat:
Goals – Jakob Pelletier (26)
Points – Matthew Phillips (59)
San Jose Barracuda:
Goals – Joachim Blichfeld (22)
Points – Joachim Blichfeld (39)
Special Teams
Heat:
PP – 44-for-228, 19.3% (16th)/PK – 213-for-244, 87.3% (1st)
Barracuda:
PP – 53-for-260, 20.4% (t-10th)/PK – 172-for-227, 75.8% (t-28th)
1. HEAT INDEX
It’s the best of times and the worst of times on display at Stockton Arena as the first-place Heat host ninth-ranked San Jose in a matchup of clubs occupying the top and bottom positions in the Pacific Division race. The Heat are coming off a midweek setback against the Colorado Eagles but have gone 7-3-0-0 in their past 10 while San Jose is 2-6-0-2 in that span, losers of the last five. Saturday is the final matchup between the NorCal clubs at Stockton Arena, with the Heat having won three of the first four in the season series.
2. THIS, THAT, THE OTHER
THIS… Only once before have the Stockton Heat had four 40-point scorers, Mark Jankowski, Linden Vey, Morgan Klimchuk and Andrew Mangiapane each reaching the mark in the 2016-17 season. Stockton enters tonight’s game with three skaters beyond the 40-point plateau and two more knocking on the door, Luke Philp (39) and Justin Kirkland (37) within striking distance. THAT… Make it two-for-two for Andy Welinski finding the score sheet since returning to the lineup, the blue-liner adding an assist in Wednesday’s game against the Colorado Eagles. Welinski missed nearly three months due to an upper body injury, tied for first among Heat defensemen in scoring at the time of his injury. THE OTHER… Slowly but surely, the Heat are inching closer and closer to that ever-important top seed in the Pacific and the spoils that go to the division victors, a bye through the best-of-three first round of the playoffs. With an Ontario loss on Friday while the Heat were idle, Stockton’s division-clinching ‘Magic Number’ sits at 17 heading into the two-game set against San Jose. The Heat are up four points on the Reign and have two games in hand.
3. PLAYERS TO WATCH
Heat – Luke Philp
Philp has four goals and seven points in eight games against San Jose this season and will look to hit the 40-point milestone on the season in Saturday’s game.
Barracuda – Joachim Blichfeld
San Jose’s leading scorer has a team-best three goals in the season series with the Heat and has goals in each of the last two games he’s played and in four of the last six, points in the last three.
4. MILESTONES WITHIN REACH
- Glenn Gawdin is one assist shy of 100 in his AHL career.
- Jakob Pelletier is one point shy of tying Stockton’s single-season rookie scoring record and one goal shy of tying Stockton’s single-season goal record.
- Luke Philp is two goals shy of 50 in his AHL career.
5. QUOTABLE
“He’s a guy that’s hungry right now for added minutes, no matter which position he’s playing or where he fits in our special teams. I think he’s realized this is a big final stretch for him. He and a lot of guys are finding a way to elevate their game this time of year, which you need when you’re trying to win a division.” – Mitch Love on Luke Philp’s recent play
