Stockton Heat 2022 Playoffs thread

[Roof-Daddy]

Who knew that Wolf's kryptonite would be the Wolves?

[roberts10]

A little adversity is a good thing, right? Right?!

[Inferno099]

Originally Posted by Reggie Dunlop

Josh Leivo scores with 17 seconds left, giving the Wolves a 3-2 lead.

3-2 FINAL

Wolves take 2-0 series lead.

Former Flame tweener makes the Heat pay....
https://www.nhl.com/hurricanes/video...7094/c-7925767

[Badgers Nose]

Wolves play hockey good.

[Reggie Dunlop]

TONIGHT’S MATCHUP: Stockton Heat vs. Chicago Wolves
SERIES: Game 3; STK Trails 2-0
LOCATION: Stockton Arena | Stockton, Calif.
TIME: 7:30 p.m. MDT
TUNE IN: Today’s game can be streamed on AHLTV, and the radio call is available on Fox Sports Radio 1280 or online via Spreaker.

HEAT INDEX
A tough start and tougher finish for the Stockton Heat proved to be the difference in Game Two of the Western Conference Finals, the visiting team carrying the play for much of the time in between before Josh Leivo’s strike in the final minute of regulation helped the Chicago Wolves escape with a 3-2 win Monday at Allstate Arena. Eetu Tuulola and Justin Kirkland found the back of the net for Stockton, who now return home looking to trim the series deficit in half.

SCORING IN BULK
Justin Kirkland extended his scoring streak to seven games with his second period snipe in Monday’s contest, a goal that gave the Heat a 2-1 lead. Kirkland has nine points and six goals in that stretch, both figures leading the Heat in the postseason and each setting a team record for a single playoff.

TWO-LOLA
Eetu Tuulola has goals in back-to-back games after his shorthanded goal Monday tied the game at one in the opening frame. It was the first shorthanded marker conceded by the Chicago Wolves during the Calder Cup Playoffs and the second scored by the Heat through nine games, first since Jakob Pelletier’s strike in the playoff opener against Bakersfield.

SLIM MARGINS
Both games of the Western Conference Finals have been decided by the slimmest of margins, a pair of one-goal games that came down to overtime and the final 18 seconds of regulation, respectively. Stockton is now 3-3 in the playoffs in games decided by one goal, a contrast from the regular season in which the Heat owned a record of 18-4-5-2 in one-goal games.

HEADING HOME
A change of scenery will be welcome for the Heat, who come into Wednesday’s game a perfect 4-0 at Stockton Arena in the playoffs. The Heat have outscored the opposition 12-3 at Stockton Arena in those four games, including a pair of shutout victories, and Stockton owned the AHL’s best home record in the regular season at 24-5-5-0, a .779 points percentage.

THREE’S COMPANY
Stockton has made a habit of snapping losing streaks quickly, the current two-game skid being only the fifth for the Heat since the puck dropped on the 2021-22 season. The Heat have not lost three in a row at any point this year and have outscored opponents by a 21-8 margin when ending two-game losing streaks.

[SeanCharles]

Leivo is too good for the AHL, not good enough for NHL unfortunately though. He should be a 13/14 forward really.

[Reggie Dunlop]

Rory Kerins! in the lineup tonight, but being used sparingly.

[Reggie Dunlop]

Chicago wins 3-0 FINAL

Wolves take a 3-0 lead in the series.

[Reggie Dunlop]

TONIGHT'S MATCHUP: Stockton Heat vs. Chicago Wolves
SERIES: Game 4; STK Trails 3-0
LOCATION: Stockton Arena | Stockton, CA
TIME: 8:00 PM MT
TUNE IN: Today's game can be streamed on AHLTV, and the radio call is available on Fox Sports Radio 1280 or online via Spreaker

HEAT INDEX

The Stockton Heat have been pushed to the brink of elimination entering Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals, Chicago taking a 3-0 victory on Wednesday to take a 3-0 series lead. Stockton fired 23 shots on Wolves netminder Alex Lyon in Game 3, but the goalie was up to the task each time. Dustin Wolf stopped 27 of 29 shots faced in the game before the Wolves locked the result with an empty-netter.

FROM 0 TO 60

Stockton rebounded with wins from all three shutout losses in the regular season, outscoring opponents 11-4 in those games with a 3-2 win over Tucson and 4-1 wins over San Jose and San Diego. The Heat scored the opening goal in all three of those bounce-back efforts.

HOME SWEET HOME



The Heat have not lost consecutive home games all season, the club owning the AHL's best home record in the regular season at 24-5-5-0, a .779 points percentage. Throughout the playoffs, the Heat have scored first in four of five games played at Stockton Arena and have outscored opponents by a 12-6 margin, including 9-4 at 5-on-5.

GAME OF INCHES



Stockton and Chicago have battled to razor-thin margins despite the series record, Chicago earning a pair of one-goal wins and taking a hard-fought third game. The teams have gone to intermission tied six times, including all three periods of regulation in Game 1, the first two periods of Game 2 and the first frame of Game 3.

CONNECT 4



With Wednesday's result, the Stockton Heat have to win all four remaining games of the series to advance through the best-of-seven Western Conference Finals. The Heat strung together four or more consecutive wins five times during the regular season, including nine straight from October 16 through November 12, four in a row from December 11 through December 18, four in a row from February 12 through February 25, five straight from March 5 through March 14 and four in a row from March 19 through March 27. The Heat also won their first five games of the playoffs.

SO YOU'RE SAYING THERE'S A CHANCE



Stockton is the 140th squad in AHL history to be facing an 0-3 series deficit and is hoping to become the fourth team to advance through the round. Currently the three teams to have come back and won the series in seven games include the 2013 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, 1989 Adirondack Red Wings and 1960 Rochester Americans.

[looooob]

Originally Posted by Reggie Dunlop

Stockton is the 140th squad in AHL history to be facing an 0-3 series deficit and is hoping to become the fourth team to advance through the round. Currently the three teams to have come back and won the series in seven games include the 2013 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, 1989 Adirondack Red Wings and 1960 Rochester Americans.

Flames legend Al MacNeil was on the 60 Amerks

[Reggie Dunlop]

Originally Posted by looooob

Flames legend Al MacNeil was on the 60 Amerks

And Cowboys coach Joe "The Crow" Crozier!

[Reggie Dunlop]

Ilya Nikolaev in the lineup tonight.

[Canada 02]

Unfortunately, Ruzicka has been out since game 1. Big loss to be missing your best center

[Reggie Dunlop]

Ruzicka and Philp. That's two centers out.

[Canada 02]

Glenn Gawdin scores with 48 sec remaining in the 3rd to tie the games 3-3. Heading to OT

[Canada 02]

Gawdin the ot hero!

First PP goal of the series for the Heat in 17 chances, including 6 in a row tonight

[Roof-Daddy]

Live to fight another day!

[Roof-Daddy]

Nice to see Valimaki assisting on both the tying goal and winning goal.

Means that Love is sticking him out in key situations with the season on the line, hopefully he's turning a corner.

[Vinny01]

With the 2-3-2 format for games the Heat get one more chance at home to extend the series.

[Reggie Dunlop]

TONIGHT’S MATCHUP: Stockton Heat vs. Chicago Wolves
SERIES: Game 5; STK Trails 3-1
LOCATION: Stockton Arena | Stockton, Calif.
TIME: 7:00 p.m. MDT
TUNE IN: Today’s game can be streamed on AHLTV, and the radio call is available on Fox Sports Radio 1280 or online via Spreaker.



HEAT INDEX
Looking to make a historic run, the Stockton Heat kept their season alive with a come-from-behind, 4-3 win in overtime on Friday against the Chicago Wolves. Glenn Gawdin was the hero with two goals to help Stockton overcome a 3-1 third period deficit, the first coming in the last minute of regulation to force overtime and the second ending the extra session, while the Heat were able to stave off elimination. The clubs clash again on Saturday with the Heat hoping to force to the series back to Chicago for Game Six.



OH MY GAWDIN
Glenn Gawdin claimed his first multi-goal game since January 15 on Friday, leading the way for the Heat in the dramatic OT win to extend the Western Conference Finals. Gawdin’s game-tying goal was his second marker of the playoffs while his game-winner was his first since December 7. It was the centerman’s second multi-point game of the postseason, the previous coming in a three-point effort against Bakersfield on May 13.



WHOLESALE POINTS
Justin Kirkland continued his point-per-game pace through the playoffs with a goal and an assist on Friday. The forward’s goal came just eight seconds after the Wolves took a two-goal lead in the third, the fastest response to an opponent’s score in Heat postseason history, and he factored in on the game-winner with an assist. Kirkland already owns Stockton’s single playoff records for goals (7) and points (11) in one postseason.



AGAINST THE ODDS
The Heat overcame long odds in erasing a third period deficit against the Wolves, Chicago coming into the game Friday with an unblemished 7-0 mark in the playoffs when leading after two. The Wolves were a remarkable 32-0-1-1 in the regular season in such games, while the Heat were 7-12-0-0 in the regular season when trailing after 40 minutes. It was the first time the Heat were behind on the scoreboard heading into the third.



LETHAL LEADS
Two evenly-matched teams have had to battle to the very end in three of four contests of the Western Conference Finals, with comebacks a common theme. The Heat led 3-1 in Game One and had a 2-1 edge in Game Two only to see the upper hand disappear, and the Wolves had a two-goal edge in the third period on Friday. The team leading at the halfway point of regulation is 0-3 in the series, with Game Three tied 0-0 through 30 minutes.



WORKING OVERTIME
Gawdin’s game-winner gave the Heat their first-ever playoff overtime win in franchise history, snapping a three-game losing streak dating back to the 2017 playoffs. Stockton had been 0-2 in this year’s Calder Cup Playoffs, falling on the road at Colorado and at Chicago. Friday’s game was the first time ever that a Heat postseason contest went beyond regulation at Stockton Arena.