HEAT TAKE FRONT END OF WEEKEND SET WITH REIGN, 3-2
STOCKTON, Calif. – The Stockton Heat (42-12-4-1) earned their team-record 23rd home win of the season, taking the extra point in a 3-2 shootout victory over the Ontario Reign (36-15-5-4) Friday night at Stockton Arena.
Matthew Phillips started the scoring 7:12 into the action, setting another team record with his 28th marker of the campaign, the most by a Flames farm hand since 2013-14. Ontario answered back before the end of the opening frame, Frederic Allard pulling the Reign even in the final minute before the break for a 1-1 score.
Emilio Pettersen then gave the Heat the edge once again near the midway point of the second, a puck redirecting off the forward and into the net at the 9:31 mark of the middle frame. Thomas Hickey responded for the visitors, evening the game yet again with 3:33 to go in the period.
The teams then played to a scoreless draw in the third and the five-minute overtime set to push the game to a shootout, when Justin Kirkland and Phillips each found the back of the net and Dustin Wolf slammed the door with a two-for-two performance on the other end to seal the win.
The Heat have pushed their lead in the division to eight points with nine games to play and will face Ontario once again Sunday on the road.
NOTABLE
- Matthew Phillips’ power play goal to start the scoring was his 28th marker of the season, a Stockton Heat record. It’s the first time a Flames farmhand has lit the lamp 28 times in a campaign since Ben Street of the Abbotsford Heat in 2013-14. He now owns team records for most career points, most career goals, most single-season points and most single-season goals.
- Byron Froese reached the 30-point mark on the season with an assist on Phillips’ goal. He’s the seventh Stockton skater to reach 30 points this season.
- Emilio Pettersen became the 10th Heat skater to reach double-digit goals for the season with his score in the second.
- Justin Kirkland is now 6-for-7 in shootouts.
- The Heat have won all three shootouts they’ve played in with Dustin Wolf between the pipes. Wolf has stopped six of eight shots faced in shootouts.
- The Heat have won a team-record 23 games at home this year. The team’s division-clinching ‘Magic Number’ has reached single digits and sits at nine points.
SPECIAL TEAMS
STK PP – 1-for-5
STK PK – 2-for-2
THREE STARS
First – Dustin Wolf (24 svs)
Second – Matthew Phillips (1g)
Third – Emilio Pettersen (1g)
GOALIES
W – Dustin Wolf (24 saves on 26 shots faced, 2 stops on 2 shootout attempts)
SOL – Matthew Villalta (35 saves on 37 shots faced, 0 stops on 2 shootout attempts)
UP NEXT
The Heat and Reign conclude their weekend set Sunday in Ontario, a 3 p.m. puck drop.
