TUCSON, Ariz. – The Stockton Heat (20-4-2-1) started fast and never looked back on Wednesday, improving to 7-0-0-0 on the year following losses with a 5-2 win over the Tucson Roadrunners (11-10-2-0) Wednesday at the Tucson Convention Center.
With the win, the Heat became the second AHL team to reach the 20-win mark on the year, joining the Chicago Wolves.
Matthew Phillips put the Heat on top in the game’s first minute, putting a puck past Ivan Prosvetov from a sharp angle 54 seconds into the contest. Glenn Gawdin then doubled the lead late in the frame, converting on a penalty shot for a 2-0 edge through 20 minutes.
The teams each traded a pair of scores in the second, Stockton getting lamp-lighters from Greg Moro, his first of the season, and Eetu Tuulola, whose shorthanded marker was his first while on the PK for the campaign.
The Heat maintained the 4-2 lead until late in the third, when Justin Kirkland pushed his goal streak to three with a shorthanded, empty net goal, his third-straight game with a score.
Adam Werner made 24 stops on 26 shots faced in his first game action since December 10, and Stockton’s penalty kill rebounded from Tuesday’s contest with a 6-for-6 performance.
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