<p>The Stockton Heat: not so hot right now.</p>
<p></p>
<p>The Calgary Flames&#8217; temporarily-relocated farm team has followed up an impressive eight-game winning streak by losing six consecutive contests, most recently at the hands of the last-place Belleville Senators.</p>
<p>Luke Philp scored the lone goal for Stockton, which falls to 8-7-1 on the season. Logan Shaw and Vitaly Abramov answered back for Belleville, which improves to 5-9-1.</p>
<p>Garret Sparks made 32 saves for Stockton but allowed two goals late in the third period. B-Sens goaltender Marcus Hogberg allowed just one goal on 31 shots by the Heat.</p>
<p>Stockton and Belleville will battle once again tomorrow afternoon at 2:00 p.m. MT.</p>
<h2><strong>The rundown</strong></h2>
<p>This game looked like a goaltenders&#8217; duel from its opening moments. Sparks and Hogberg have been around the North American pro hockey circuit for a long time and both netminders showed confidence in the crease from the start of the first period.</p>
<p>One early save from Sparks allowed the Heat to quickly re-gain possession and draw the game&#8217;s first penalty.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Garret Sparks makes a huge save, leading to the first <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AHLHeat?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AHLHeat</a> PP of the night <a href="https://t.co/R85ojjECSC">pic.twitter.com/R85ojjECSC</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Mike Gould (@miketgould) <a href="https://twitter.com/miketgould/status/1375589603306991618?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 26, 2021</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>Hogberg got his biggest test of the opening period with just over six minutes remaining. The Heat sped down the ice on a three-on-two rush, with the puck eventually finding its way to a trailing Connor Mackey in the slot.</p>
<p>The big defenseman sent a hard wrister towards Hogberg&#8217;s five-hole, but the Swedish goaltender managed to shut it down.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Nice zone entry here from Pettersen, Philp and Mackey for a scoring chance in an otherwise quiet opening first period. <a href="https://t.co/b88eDcDsB0">pic.twitter.com/b88eDcDsB0</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Brandon Weiss (@WeissBrandon1) <a href="https://twitter.com/WeissBrandon1/status/1375594365461012481?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 26, 2021</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>Belleville outshot Stockton by a 12-9 margin in the first period. The Heat got two good chances to close that gap (and get on the board) early in the middle frame, with Senators forwards Joseph LaBate and Cole Reinhardt being called on back-to-back infractions.</p>
<p>After failing to convert on either of those chances, Stockton started to see the tide of the play turn against them. Senators forward Vitaly Abramov had an excellent opportunity to solve Sparks after following up on a broken rush just shy of the 14-minute mark of the second period.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Abramov with a great chance to beat Sparks on a broken play. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AHLHeat?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AHLHeat</a> <a href="https://t.co/PtlwVrlGx8">pic.twitter.com/PtlwVrlGx8</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Mike Gould (@miketgould) <a href="https://twitter.com/miketgould/status/1375604872096047107?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 27, 2021</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>Heat forward Eetu Tuulola took a high-sticking penalty with 2:27 remaining in the middle stanza, but it was Stockton captain Byron Froese who had the best chance of the Belleville man-advantage.</p>
<p>After forcing a turnover by blue-chip defensive prospect Erik Brannstrom, Froese skated in against Hogberg on a partial breakaway. Brannstrom managed to recover and stop Froese temporarily but the wily veteran still managed to fire a shot towards the Belleville net.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AHLHeat?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AHLHeat</a> currently down a man. Froese forces a turnover by Brannstrom but the skilled young defenseman gets back and impedes his breakaway attempt. Terrific recovery. <a href="https://t.co/q6dt1TISIN">pic.twitter.com/q6dt1TISIN</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Mike Gould (@miketgould) <a href="https://twitter.com/miketgould/status/1375607153440878595?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 27, 2021</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>The Heat finally broke the deadlock early in the first period. Just moments after <a href="https://twitter.com/miketgould/status/1375613066696552448">Phillips hit the post</a> with a wrister, Luke Philp tucked in a rebound of a Connor Mackey shot for his sixth goal of the season.</p>
<p>CJ Lerby picked up the second assist on Philp&#8217;s team-leading 25th goal since the start of the 2019-20 season.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Philp (6) from Mackey and Lerby. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AHLHeat?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AHLHeat</a> lead 1-0. <a href="https://t.co/731oIIdLBy">pic.twitter.com/731oIIdLBy</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Mike Gould (@miketgould) <a href="https://twitter.com/miketgould/status/1375613894316597248?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 27, 2021</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>Ultimately, Stockton sabotaged its chances at winning by getting into penalty trouble. Giorgio Estephan took a hooking infraction with 9:57 remaining in regulation time; just six seconds later, B-Sens captain Logan Shaw scored to tie the game at 1-1.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Shaw ties this one at 1. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AHLHeat?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AHLHeat</a> <a href="https://t.co/8mLcbeBLWl">pic.twitter.com/8mLcbeBLWl</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Mike Gould (@miketgould) <a href="https://twitter.com/miketgould/status/1375617744037548032?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 27, 2021</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>Philp did his best to restore his team&#8217;s one-goal lead just over two minutes after Shaw&#8217;s goal. He had two chances to beat Hogberg: the goaltender stopped Philp&#8217;s first opportunity, with the crossbar denying the second one.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Philp gets a couple great chances but can&#39;t beat Hogberg and the crossbar. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AHLHeat?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AHLHeat</a> <a href="https://t.co/HHFsVGuGLu">pic.twitter.com/HHFsVGuGLu</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Mike Gould (@miketgould) <a href="https://twitter.com/miketgould/status/1375618321865830400?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 27, 2021</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>Rookie AHL blueliner Greg Moro was called for interference with exactly four minutes to play in the third period. Belleville made him pay for his penalty, with Abramov taking an Erik Brannstrom pass behind Stockton&#8217;s defense and slipping the puck through Sparks&#8217; five-hole.</p>
<p>Abramov&#8217;s third goal of the season gave Belleville a 2-1 lead with just 2:40 to play in regulation.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Abramov beats Sparks with a five-hole deke shot. It&#39;s 2-1 Belleville. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AHLHeat?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AHLHeat</a> <a href="https://t.co/Jx3WMq2gP7">pic.twitter.com/Jx3WMq2gP7</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Mike Gould (@miketgould) <a href="https://twitter.com/miketgould/status/1375621093185085446?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 27, 2021</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>The Heat had no response, generating just one shot after Abramov&#8217;s go-ahead goal (Belleville, in comparison, managed two). Belleville took the win and outshot the Heat 34-31 in the game.</p>
<h2><strong>Line combinations</strong></h2>
<p><strong>Stockton</strong></p>
<p>Adam Ruzicka – Glenn Gawdin – Matthew Phillips<br />
Emilio Pettersen – Luke Philp – Dmitry Zavgorodniy<br />
Giorgio Estephan – Byron Froese – Eetu Tuulola<br />
Kris Bennett – Justin Kirkland – Rory Kerins</p>
<p>Connor Mackey – Zac Leslie<br />
Rob Hamilton – Alexander Yelesin<br />
CJ Lerby – Greg Moro</p>
<p>Garret Sparks<br />
Artyom Zagidulin</p>
<p><strong>Belleville</strong></p>
<p>Parker Kelly – Matthew Peca – Logan Shaw<br />
Joseph LaBate – J.C. Beaudin – Vitaly Abramov<br />
Egor Sokolov – Mark Kastelic – Cole Reinhardt<br />
Jack Kopacka – Cole Cassels – Zach Magwood</p>
<p>Erik Brannstrom – Jack Dougherty<br />
Colby Williams – Lassi Thomson<br />
Olle Alsing – Cody Goloubef</p>
<p>Marcus Hogberg<br />
Kevin Mandolese</p>
<h2><strong>Why the Heat lost<br />
</strong></h2>
<p>Marcus Hogberg was excellent for the Senators, stopping 30 of 31 shots and keeping his team afloat during Stockton&#8217;s four fruitless power play opportunities.</p>
<p>The Heat blew a 1-0 lead in the third period by allowing two goals on two Belleville man-advantages. Stockton&#8217;s first penalty-killing display of the final frame lasted just six seconds, with Senators captain Logan Shaw wasting no time in exploiting the weaknesses in Stockton&#8217;s shorthanded defense.</p>
<h2><strong>The hottest Heat</strong></h2>
<p>Stockton is ice-cold right now, but Luke Philp is red-hot. The 25-year-old AHL sophomore now ranks second on the team with 14 points in 16 games this season.</p>
<p>Despite the team&#8217;s recent losing ways, Philp has remained a consistent offensive presence for the Heat. He has points in 10 of his last 13 games, scoring 13 points in that span. During the current six-game losing streak, Philp has three goals and seven points.</p>
<h2><strong>Post-game assessments</strong></h2>
<div class="jetpack-video-wrapper"><span class="embed-youtube" style="text-align:center; display: block;"><iframe class='youtube-player' type='text/html' width='1424' height='801' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/g0kAxVLK2lI?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;fs=1&#038;autohide=2&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;wmode=transparent' allowfullscreen='true' style='border:0;'></iframe></span></div>
<div class="jetpack-video-wrapper"><span class="embed-youtube" style="text-align:center; display: block;"><iframe class='youtube-player' type='text/html' width='1424' height='801' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/3uLU2AxBkjw?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;fs=1&#038;autohide=2&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;wmode=transparent' allowfullscreen='true' style='border:0;'></iframe></span></div>
<div class="jetpack-video-wrapper"><span class="embed-youtube" style="text-align:center; display: block;"><iframe class='youtube-player' type='text/html' width='1424' height='801' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/3RN8IZzMD4Y?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;fs=1&#038;autohide=2&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;wmode=transparent' allowfullscreen='true' style='border:0;'></iframe></span></div>
<h2><strong>Up next</strong></h2>
<p>The Heat will return to action at 2:00 p.m. MT tomorrow afternoon to close out this back-to-back series against Belleville. You can catch those games on AHL TV; I’ll be posting updates on Twitter at @miketgould.</p>

The Stockton Heat: not so hot right now.



The Calgary Flames' temporarily-relocated farm team has followed up an impressive eight-game winning streak by losing six consecutive contests, most recently at the hands of the last-place Belleville Senators.

Luke Philp scored the lone goal for Stockton, which falls to 8-7-1 on the season. Logan Shaw and Vitaly Abramov answered back for Belleville, which improves to 5-9-1.

Garret Sparks made 32 saves for Stockton but allowed two goals late in the third period. B-Sens goaltender Marcus Hogberg allowed just one goal on 31 shots by the Heat.

Stockton and Belleville will battle once again tomorrow afternoon at 2:00 p.m. MT.
<h2><strong>The rundown</strong></h2>
This game looked like a goaltenders' duel from its opening moments. Sparks and Hogberg have been around the North American pro hockey circuit for a long time and both netminders showed confidence in the crease from the start of the first period.

One early save from Sparks allowed the Heat to quickly re-gain possession and draw the game's first penalty.

https://twitter.com/miketgould/status/1375589603306991618

Hogberg got his biggest test of the opening period with just over six minutes remaining. The Heat sped down the ice on a three-on-two rush, with the puck eventually finding its way to a trailing Connor Mackey in the slot.

The big defenseman sent a hard wrister towards Hogberg's five-hole, but the Swedish goaltender managed to shut it down.

https://twitter.com/WeissBrandon1/status/1375594365461012481

Belleville outshot Stockton by a 12-9 margin in the first period. The Heat got two good chances to close that gap (and get on the board) early in the middle frame, with Senators forwards Joseph LaBate and Cole Reinhardt being called on back-to-back infractions.

After failing to convert on either of those chances, Stockton started to see the tide of the play turn against them. Senators forward Vitaly Abramov had an excellent opportunity to solve Sparks after following up on a broken rush just shy of the 14-minute mark of the second period.

https://twitter.com/miketgould/status/1375604872096047107

Heat forward Eetu Tuulola took a high-sticking penalty with 2:27 remaining in the middle stanza, but it was Stockton captain Byron Froese who had the best chance of the Belleville man-advantage.

After forcing a turnover by blue-chip defensive prospect Erik Brannstrom, Froese skated in against Hogberg on a partial breakaway. Brannstrom managed to recover and stop Froese temporarily but the wily veteran still managed to fire a shot towards the Belleville net.

https://twitter.com/miketgould/status/1375607153440878595

The Heat finally broke the deadlock early in the first period. Just moments after <a href="https://twitter.com/miketgould/status/1375613066696552448">Phillips hit the post</a> with a wrister, Luke Philp tucked in a rebound of a Connor Mackey shot for his sixth goal of the season.

CJ Lerby picked up the second assist on Philp's team-leading 25th goal since the start of the 2019-20 season.

https://twitter.com/miketgould/status/1375613894316597248

Ultimately, Stockton sabotaged its chances at winning by getting into penalty trouble. Giorgio Estephan took a hooking infraction with 9:57 remaining in regulation time; just six seconds later, B-Sens captain Logan Shaw scored to tie the game at 1-1.

https://twitter.com/miketgould/status/1375617744037548032

Philp did his best to restore his team's one-goal lead just over two minutes after Shaw's goal. He had two chances to beat Hogberg: the goaltender stopped Philp's first opportunity, with the crossbar denying the second one.

https://twitter.com/miketgould/status/1375618321865830400

Rookie AHL blueliner Greg Moro was called for interference with exactly four minutes to play in the third period. Belleville made him pay for his penalty, with Abramov taking an Erik Brannstrom pass behind Stockton's defense and slipping the puck through Sparks' five-hole.

Abramov's third goal of the season gave Belleville a 2-1 lead with just 2:40 to play in regulation.

https://twitter.com/miketgould/status/1375621093185085446

The Heat had no response, generating just one shot after Abramov's go-ahead goal (Belleville, in comparison, managed two). Belleville took the win and outshot the Heat 34-31 in the game.
<h2><strong>Line combinations</strong></h2>
<strong>Stockton</strong>

Adam Ruzicka – Glenn Gawdin – Matthew Phillips
Emilio Pettersen – Luke Philp – Dmitry Zavgorodniy
Giorgio Estephan – Byron Froese – Eetu Tuulola
Kris Bennett – Justin Kirkland – Rory Kerins

Connor Mackey – Zac Leslie
Rob Hamilton – Alexander Yelesin
CJ Lerby – Greg Moro

Garret Sparks
Artyom Zagidulin

<strong>Belleville</strong>

Parker Kelly – Matthew Peca – Logan Shaw
Joseph LaBate – J.C. Beaudin – Vitaly Abramov
Egor Sokolov – Mark Kastelic – Cole Reinhardt
Jack Kopacka – Cole Cassels – Zach Magwood

Erik Brannstrom – Jack Dougherty
Colby Williams – Lassi Thomson
Olle Alsing – Cody Goloubef

Marcus Hogberg
Kevin Mandolese
<h2><strong>Why the Heat lost
</strong></h2>
Marcus Hogberg was excellent for the Senators, stopping 30 of 31 shots and keeping his team afloat during Stockton's four fruitless power play opportunities.

The Heat blew a 1-0 lead in the third period by allowing two goals on two Belleville man-advantages. Stockton's first penalty-killing display of the final frame lasted just six seconds, with Senators captain Logan Shaw wasting no time in exploiting the weaknesses in Stockton's shorthanded defense.
<h2><strong>The hottest Heat</strong></h2>
Stockton is ice-cold right now, but Luke Philp is red-hot. The 25-year-old AHL sophomore now ranks second on the team with 14 points in 16 games this season.

Despite the team's recent losing ways, Philp has remained a consistent offensive presence for the Heat. He has points in 10 of his last 13 games, scoring 13 points in that span. During the current six-game losing streak, Philp has three goals and seven points.
<h2><strong>Post-game assessments</strong></h2>
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0kAxVLK2lI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uLU2AxBkjw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RN8IZzMD4Y
<h2><strong>Up next</strong></h2>
The Heat will return to action at 2:00 p.m. MT tomorrow afternoon to close out this back-to-back series against Belleville. You can catch those games on AHL TV; I’ll be posting updates on Twitter at @miketgould.

Post-Game: Heat blow late lead, lose sixth in a row

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