HEAT REPORT - 11.12.18

The Stockton Pipeline keeps pumping talent up to the big club.
Amidst injuries and suspensions to the Flames roster, seven players have been recalled from the Heat since Nov. 23.
Alan Quine, Rinat Valiev, Anthony Peluso and Ryan Lomberg were all assigned, or in Lomberg's case re-assigned, to Calgary this week.
Meanwhile back in sunny California, Stockton split their weekend series with the Winnipeg Jets' AHL affiliate, the Manitoba Moose.

Saturday marked a night to remember for the Flames organization. Both Stockton and Calgary skated to victories and the Flames climbed into first place in the Western Conference thanks, in part, to goals from two recent call-ups.
Defenceman Oliver Kylington notched his first NHL goal in his sixth game of the season with the Flames, a one-timer from the slot just 1:12 into a an eventual 5-2 win over the visiting Nashville Predators.
Alan Quine tallied the fifth marker for the homeside with his first goal as a member of the Flames.
Prior to a pair of NHL games this weekend, Quine had played in 84 NHL games for the New York Islanders from 2016-2018. Quine is tied for second on Stockton in scoring with 19 points this season in 15 games.
The player he is tied with? Well, he had quite the weekend in Stockton.
Curtis Lazar is turning heads as he turns into Mr. Clutch.
Lazar scored two goals in Saturday's 3-2 overtime victory, including the game-winner. Lazar tallied his third game-winning goal of the season and two of the three have come with less than 30 seconds left in the contest.
The forward, who boasts nine goals on the year, is proving he can score in all situations. His first goal of the night was his third shorthanded marker of the season, which leads the AHL.
Short-staffed up front, Stockton relied on their best to step up this weekend. In addition to Lazar, Kerby Rychel also scored twice.
Rychel, Lazar, Dillon Dube and Andrew Nielsen were the four players on the ice when Lazar potted home a rebound in overtime to win it with just 18 seconds left in extra time.
On Friday night, the Heat fell 2-1 to Manitoba, despite outshooting the Moose 42-16. Manitoba goalie Eric Comrie dominated in goal, stopping 41 of 42 shots, including 20 saves in the middle frame.
Stockton's defence only allowed four goals over the weekend to Manitoba, anchored by back-to-back starts from Jon Gillies. The Flames goaltending prospect stopped 27 of 29 shots in Saturday's victory.
The Heat climbed back to .500 with the win, now sitting at 12-12-1 on the season over a third of the way into the campaign.
Stockton has just one game this weekend, a Saturday night tilt with Bakersfield Condors.

QUICK HITS

• Lazar's two goals Saturday was his second multi-goal game of the year;
• Rychel's thirteen goals are tied for fourth in the American Hockey League;
• Andrew Nielsen made his Heat debut, playing in both games this weekend for Stockton.

QUOTABLES

"It's a new opportunity, a new experience and we were clicking tonight. We were having fun with it and ultimately found a way to win." - Lazar on working with his new linemates, Rychel and Spencer Foo

"We had to grind through it and guys did a good job sticking with it. Curtis Lazar had a big game for us. Needing a big performance from someone, it was pretty key for him to come up with two tonight." - Coach Cail MacLean on Saturday's 3-2 win

"The big key is that they're low-scoring affairs. While we want to make sure we're an offensive team and we want to utilize that aspect of our game, we want to keep them, the opposition, down in terms of goals against. We've done that this weekend. It was a positive weekend in that respect." - MacLean on Stockton finding ways to win low-scoring games
"We're in every game and you never can count us out. We know we're going to be there at the end, but the thing I think we need to work on is having the lead at the end of those games instead of being the ones coming from behind." - Buddy Robinson on Friday's comeback effort
"I thought that Nielsen had a solid game. I think that he's got another gear, but at the same time he passed the puck well. It looks like he can zip it around. Obviously we know he can really shoot it; we'd like to find ways to get more shots off of his stick. Good start. Good start for him. I expect to see that keep improving, but solid first game." - MacLean on Nielsen's debut Friday night