The Stockton Heat have yet to lose three consecutive games this season, but they’ll have to if the Bakersfield Condors want to win their Pacific Division semifinal playoff series.
The Heat lead the best-of-five series two games to none as action shifts to Bakersfield for Game 3 on Friday. Stockton took its 2–0 series lead on Wednesday with a 3–2 victory as Emilio Pettersen scored his second winning goal in as many games.
Honestly, who else would it be? pic.twitter.com/ulEw9Bpz9Q
— y – Stockton Heat (@AHLHeat) May 13, 2022
Reigning American Hockey League goaltender of the year Dustin Wolf has continued his excellent play into the post-season, stopping 49 of the 52 shots he’s faced through his first two professional playoff games.
Here’s something unexpected: Matthew Phillips is still without a point through Stockton’s first two games of the playoffs. The team’s 2021–22 leading scorer has fired just one shot on goal so far in this series. If he comes to play tonight … watch out.
Projected lineups
These combinations are based, in part, on those used in these teams’ previous games.
Stockton Heat
Jakob Pelletier – Glenn Gawdin – Matthew Phillips
Justin Kirkland – Luke Philp – Tyrell Goulborne
Emilio Pettersen – Connor Zary – Eetu Tuulola
Alex Gallant – Byron Froese – Walker Duehr
Kevin Gravel – Nick DeSimone
Juuso Valimaki – Colton Poolman
Ilya Solovyov – Andy Welinski
Dustin Wolf
Daniil Chechelev
Bakersfield Condors
Dylan Holloway – Brad Malone – Dino Kambeitz
Tim Schaller – Adam Cracknell – Seth Griffith
Brendan Perlini – Luke Esposito – Cooper Marody
James Hamblin – Devin Brosseau – Noah Philp
Markus Niemelainen – Michael Kesselring
Yanni Kaldis – Vincent Desharnais
Alex Peters – Filip Berglund
Stuart Skinner
Ilya Konovalov
Playoff scoring stars
This section excludes players recalled to the NHL or on assignment to other leagues.
Stockton Heat
- Emilio Pettersen — 2 GP, 2 G, 3 P
- Jakob Pelletier — 2 GP, 1 G, 1 P
- Walker Duehr — 2 GP, 1 G, 1 P
- Nick DeSimone — 2 GP, 1 G, 1 P
- Alex Gallant — 2 GP, 1 G, 1 P
Bakersfield Condors
- Brad Malone — 4 GP, 2 G, 3 P
- Dino Kambeitz — 4 GP, 1 G, 2 P
- James Hamblin — 4 GP, 1 G, 2 P
- Cooper Marody — 4 GP, 1 G, 2 P
- Yanni Kaldis — 4 GP, 0 G, 2 P
Heating up
Not particularly known for his goal-scoring ability, Heat enforcer Alex Gallant lit the lamp to open the scoring in the second period of Game 2.
Gallant, 29, has made the playoffs on five separate occasions in his American Hockey League career. On Wednesday, he scored his first playoff goal as professional hockey player.
Gally’s got it pic.twitter.com/OFylajDEVs
— y – Stockton Heat (@AHLHeat) May 12, 2022
How to watch
Game 3 in Bakersfield will be broadcast on AHL TV (subscription required) and on Spreaker (audio only), with the opening puck-drop set for 8:00 p.m. MT.
FlamesNation contributors Paige Siewert and Mike Gould will provide live game updates on Twitter. Additionally, you’ll be able to follow along at TheAHL.com.
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