TONIGHT’S MATCHUP: Stockton Heat (26-7-3-1; 1st Pacific) vs. Ontario Reign (24-8-3-2; 2nd Pacific)
LOCATION: Stockton Arena | Stockton, California
TIME: 7:00 p.m. PST
TUNE IN: Today’s game can be streamed on AHLTV, and the radio call is available on Fox Sports 1280 or online via Spreaker.
Media Game Notes: STK | ONT | AHL
HEAT INDEX
The Stockton Heat and Ontario Reign meet in a battle of the top two teams in the Pacific Division, a two-game set Friday and Saturday at Stockton Arena. The Heat carry a five-game point streak into the front end of the back-to-back, 4-0-1-0 in that span, most recently with a pair of road wins over the Abbotsford Canucks last Thursday and Friday.
WHEN IT REIGNS, IT POURS
Just over a week after becoming Stockton’s all-time leading goal scorer, Matthew Phillips will look to continue his impressive run against the Reign this season. The top-line winger has notched at least a point in all four meetings with Ontario, has a goal in three of four and has totaled seven points (3g, 4a) in the season series.
CUT THE POWER
The Stockton versus Ontario series features the AHL’s best penalty kill and power play, respectively, and the Heat PK has done its part through four games. The Reign have a pair of goals in 14 trips to the man-advantage (14.3 percent), nearly half the pace of their overall, league-leading season clip of 27.6 percent. The Heat pace the AHL down a skater, operating at 89.3 percent this season (142-for-159) with 10 shorthanded goals.
NO TIME TO WASTE
Johannes Kinnvall had to wait until nearly the halfway point of the AHL season to make his debut after rehabbing a lower body injury suffered during preseason camp, but the blue-liner has made up for lost time with four assists in five games since entering the lineup. Three of Kinnvall’s helpers have come on the power play, and he carries a three-game point streak into Friday’s tilt.
HOME BODIES
The Heat have enjoyed playing at Stockton Arena so far this year, owning the AHL’s best home record at 14-2-3-0 (.816 point percentage), narrowly besting the Utica Comets’ record of 16-3-2-0 and .810 percentage. Stockton has outscored its opposition 61-38 on home ice, including a 2-1 win over the Reign in the lone matchup between the clubs in the Port City.
COMING THROUGH IN THE CLUTCH
Stockton has separated itself from the pack in close games, owners of a 15-3-3-1 in games decided by one or two goals. All four games of the season series against Ontario have been decided by that thin margin, a differential in which the Reign are 10-6-3-2 on the year.
