Heat Out-Gun Eagles, 7-6
STOCKTON, Calif. – Behind three-point nights from Rob Hamilton and Matthew Phillips, the Stockton Heat outgunned the Colorado Eagles en route to a 7-6 win Saturday night at Stockton Arena. The Heat started slowly on the night, falling behind 1-0 and 2-1 in the first period until rattling off three goals in a span of just 1:56 to seize a 4-2 lead into the first intermission, a lead the club never relinquished. Hamilton struck twice in the three-goal flurry, markers sandwiched around a Curtis Lazar goal. The Heat came out ablaze in the second, scoring the first two goals of the middle frames to get a 6-2 jump on the Eagles, second-period goals from Phillips and Buddy Robinson, a lead that became 7-3 after the teams traded tallies into the early portion of the third frame. The Eagles pushed hard toward the end, lighting the lamp three times in the final 7:34 to tighten up the game, but could not find the tying goal in the final 1:45 after clawing back to within one.
SCORING AND PENALTY SUMMARY
GOALIES
W: Tyler Parsons (29 shots, 23 saves)
L: Pavel Francouz (46 shots, 39 saves)
NOTABLE STATISTICS
Three Stars: First – First – Rob Hamilton (2g,1a), Second – Matthew Phillips (1g,2a), Third – Curtis Lazar (1g,1a)
Final Shots: STK – 46, COL – 29
Power Plays: STK – 1-4, COL – 3-4
– The Heat finish the week with 17 goals in three games, the best three-game stretch in team history (dates back to 2015-16 season). The previous high of 16 was accomplished twice, earlier this year from Nov. 20-23 and from Oct. 30 through Nov. 5, 2016.
– Rob Hamilton netted two goals in the first period of Saturday’s game, his first multigoal effort of the season. Hamilton wrapped a hot week on the offensive end with three points (2g,1a) in tonight’s game, finishing the three-game stretch with six points (3g,3a). The three-point effort was Hamilton’s first-career three point night in 60 AHL games.
– Matthew Phillips registered a goal and two assists in the contest, extending his scoring streak to eight games with 14 points (5g,9a) in that span. At eight games, Phillips has the second-longest active scoring streak in the AHL, trailing only San Antonio’s Samuel Blais (nine games, 10 points).
– Buddy Robinson also extended his scoring streak, now at seven games with nine points (3g,6a) after his power play goal in the second period.
– Ryan Lomberg was credited with a redirection on a point shot from Adam Ollas Mattsson in the first period, extending his goals streak to three-straight games, his first-career three-game goal streak.
– The contest was Spencer Foo’s 100th professional game played.
UP NEXT
The Heat continue their home stand with a Wednesday night clash with San Diego for Dollar Beer Night, a 7 p.m. start, and will close out the five-game stretch at Stockton Arena on Saturday, Jan. 12 against the Ontario Reign at 6 p.m.
