HEAVYWEIGHT BATTLE

To be the best you have to beat the best, and for a team who topped the AHL standings for nearly the entire season, the opportunity lying ahead of them is one they relish.
Twenty-nine teams finished the regular season looking up the ladder at the Heat, a .713 points percentage second best in the premier developmental hockey league. The lone team looking down at them was the opponent they now get a crack at in a best-of-seven Western Conference Final - the Central Division and AHL regular-season champion Chicago Wolves.
"I think our guys are aware of it," said Heat head coach Mitch Love about the matchup. "We'll be facing the best team in the American Hockey League in Chicago. We're excited for the challenge."

Stockton came about as close as you can to the Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy, given to the league's regular-season champion, at the end of the 68-game regular season slate, one result on the final day of the season proving to be the difference. The teams now enter the Western Conference Finals with identical 6-1 playoff records, Stockton a plus-11 goal differential and Chicago with a dominant plus-22 in the same span.
Adding to the intrigue is the fact Friday's opening game will be the first time the Heat see a new opponent on the year since Nov. 27.
"It's unique in terms of being in the same conference and never playing each other," said Love. "But over the last couple of months as a staff, whether it was a before a game or waiting for one of our games, we were throwing Wolves games on to check them out and see the way they play the game. They're well-coached and have some elite players on the other side. They have the league (scoring race leader in Andrew Poturalski), you've got some outstanding goaltenders.
"It doesn't take long to see what style of play they're interested in and what they want to do to find wins for their hockey club. I've been around this league a long time. I was removed for a while but was able to play in it for some time, and the Wolves are always ready to win the Calder Cup. We've know we've got our hands full with this group. They're the best in the league. We want to come in here and try to be competitive."

With Thursday's practice being the final tune-up before the top two seeds in the West hit the ice, the Heat are locked in and understand the task that lies ahead. Chicago has the playoffs' leading scorer in Josh Leivo, the regular-season scoring champ in Poturalski, a netminder in Alex Lyon who is within a stone's throw of Wolf's gaudy postseason numbers, and have recently received some reinforcements from NHL affiliate Carolina.
All year, the Heat have stepped up when the moment has called for it, elevating their game to new heights in the postseason. They're viewing this knock-down-drag-out as a chance to show what they're made of one more time.
"Playing only divisional teams in the regular season, this is just another opportunity to show that we've got a really special group," said Wolf, who's coming off a historic series that included three shutout wins in four games against the Colorado Eagles. "Chicago is going to be a challenging team offensively and they've got some good goaltending, so we'll have to hone in on our pre-scout there and make sure we're ready to go."
Two series down, two to go, the Heat are halfway to the ultimate goal of raising the Calder Cup. It's been more than two decades since a Flames affiliate was coronated kings of the AHL. Regardless of the opponent, the Heat know what it'll take to find four wins and have a chance to continue playing for the big prize.

"The way we've played, we've beaten some really good teams in Bakersfield and Colorado," said Justin Kirkland, who potted all three game-winners in the Pacific Division Finals. "We found a way to shut them down. At the end of the day, we have to do more of the same, do what's best for the guy beside you and make sure everyone's pulling in the same direction. Just have fun with it. This is a position that you don't get to easily. We're going to battle with 20 brothers. To face the only team that finished better than us in the regular season, it's exciting."
Organizationally, the opportunity for Stockton to measure itself against another top team should pay dividends, giving farmhands young and more veteran valuable experience in the most pivotal time of year.
Four wins is all Stockton needs to add a conference championship trophy to the mantle, but there could be longer-term ramifications of the development club adding to the postseason success they've already enjoyed.
"We've talked about the development component along with the competitive component and winning hockey games," said Love. "I listened to Darryl (Sutter's) postseason press conference (Wednesday) and his thoughts on his group, and I think a lot of our guys can get something out of this, where we're at, how much this time of year is hard. It's hard to win. Your game has to be adaptable to finding wins and doing what's best for the team and what goes into that, mentally and physically. I only see it as a benefit for our young players and our veteran players who are looking to advance their careers with this organization.
"Our guys are embracing that, they're enjoying it, and we know we have a great challenge here against the best in the league."