MORNING SKATE: CHASE FOR DIVISION TITLE CONTINUES WEDNESDAY

TONIGHT’S MATCHUP: Stockton Heat (43-14-4-2; 1st Pacific) vs. Tucson Roadrunners (21-36-5-1; 8th Pacific) 
LOCATION: Stockton Arena | Stockton, California
TIME: 6:30 p.m. PDT
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.

Media Game Notes: STK | TUC | AHL

HEAT INDEX
The Stockton Heat look to put an end to a two-game skid as they return home and play host to the Tucson Roadrunners Wednesday. It’s the first game between the Heat and Roadrunners since January 15, a 4-1 win for Stockton, and is the final meeting between the clubs this season.

WON’T GET FOOLED AGAIN
The Heat look to snap a brief two-game skid on Wednesday following a pair of regulation losses on the road last weekend. The two-game cold stretch matches the longest of the year for the Heat, who have responded to each of the previous losing streaks by stringing together five straight and four straight wins, respectively.

BETTER IN BULK
Justin Kirkland has scored in back-to-back games, continuing his career-best year on the offensive end. The forward has clicked at a point-per-game pace over the last 28 games, second on the Heat roster with 28 points and tied for third on the club with 12 goals since the start of February. 

THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME
The Heat own the AHL’s best home record this season, coming in with a mark of 23-5-4-0 on the year for a .781 points percentage. The Heat have outscored opponents by a 110-74 margin in those 32 wins, a team record, and have excelled down a skater on home ice with a 90.9-percent kill rate.

FOLLOW THE LEADER
Byron Froese extended his point streak to seven games on Saturday, earning an assist on Kirkland’s score in the third period. The captain is up to two goals and six assists in that span, and his seven-game run is tied for fourth-longest active point streak in the AHL behind only Grand Rapids’ Riley Barber (12 games) as well as Colorado’s Kiefer Sherwood and Ontario’s T.J. Tynan (11 games).

LEADERS OF THE PAC
Heading into this week’s action, the Heat remain in first place in the division with a three-point cushion over the Ontario Reign and a game still in hand. Stockton’s division-clinching ‘Magic Number’ remains at six points with the Heat facing off against Tucson and Ontario battling Colorado on Wednesday.