HEAT EARN POINT SATURDAY AGAINST HENDERSON
STOCKTON, Calif. – With goals from Byron Froese, Martin Pospisil and Justin Kirkland, the Stockton Heat (23-7-3-1) raced out to a two-goal lead through 40 minutes but could not hold on, falling 4-3 in overtime to the Henderson Silver Knights (17-11-2-1) Saturday at Stockton Arena.
Froese started the scoring 4:29 into the tilt, a shorthanded marker off a feed from Eetu Tuulola for the 1-0 edge. Sven Baertschi responded with his first of two tallies on the night, lighting the lamp 3:28 later to even the score. Pospisil then slid a puck past Dylan Ferguson at the 11:57 mark of the opening frame to take the 2-1 lead into the intermission.
The Heat added to their lead in the second, Kirkland notching the lone score of the period with a wrister that found twine for the two-goal edge through 40 minutes, but the Silver Knights responded with three unanswered from Maxim Marushev, Baertschi and Jonas Rondbjerg for the 4-3 win to earn the weekend split.
NOTABLE
- Byron Froese’s shorthanded goal was his second SHG and 10th goal overall this season. He is tied with Connor Mackey for the team lead in shorthanded goals.
- Martin Pospisil has set a new career high with six goals so far this season.
- Justin Kirkland has set a new career high with his 10th goal of the season.
- Stockton now has six skaters with 10 or more goals on the year, the only AHL team with a total of more than four.
- The Heat are now 18-0-2-0 on the year when scoring the first goal, with both losses coming against Henderson.
SPECIAL TEAMS
STK PP – 0-for-5
STK PK – 6-for-6
THREE STARS
First – Jonas Rondbjerg (1g,1a)
Second – Sven Baertschi (2g)
Third – Martin Pospisil (1g)
GOALIES
W – Jiri Patera (19 saves on 20 shots faced)
OTL – Dustin Wolf (26 saves on 30 shots faced)
ND – Dylan Ferguson (7 saves on 9 shots faced)
UP NEXT
The Heat return to action next Saturday, January 29, with a 6 p.m. puck drop for Turn Back The Clock Night, presented by Bank of Stockton.
