The Stockton Heat moved another win closer to the Western Conference Finals with a 1-0 victory over the Colorado Eagles on Tuesday night.
The Heat lead the teams’ best-of-five series, two games to none. Colorado will try to extend its season when it hosts Game 3 on Friday night.
A night after recording his first career shutout, Dustin Wolf made 27 saves to become the first AHL goaltender since 2012 (Cam Talbot) to blank an opponent in each of the first two games of a Calder Cup Playoff series. Wolf (5-0) now has a 1.40 goals-against average and a .951 save percentage this postseason.
Justin Kirkland notched his third goal of the series with 4:27 gone in the second period, a power-play tally from the top of the left circle, to account for all of the scoring in Game 2. Kirkland has four goals in his last three games after scoring 25 goals during the regular season ― nearly triple his previous career high.
Colorado, which scored 30 goals in five games in sweeping Henderson and Ontario to reach the Pacific Division Finals, has now been shut out in back-to-back games for the first time since Mar. 17 and Mar. 22, 2019.
Justus Annunen (5-2) stopped 23 of 24 shots for the Eagles in the loss.
Pacific Division Finals (best-of-5)
P1-Stockton Heat vs. P3-Colorado Eagles
Game 1 – Mon., May 23 – STOCKTON 5, Colorado 0
Game 2 – Tue., May 24 – STOCKTON 1, Colorado 0
Game 3 – Fri., May 27 – Stockton at Colorado, 9:05
*Game 4 – Sun., May 29 – Stockton at Colorado, 9:05
*Game 5 – Tue., May 31 – Stockton at Colorado, 9:05
*if necessary… All times Eastern