Around the AHL: The Heat is on

It took an extra 16 days and a new home in a new country, but the Stockton Heat (Calgary Flames) are finally back on the ice.

But the visiting Toronto Marlies (Toronto Maple Leafs) made it a rude welcome for the hosts in their new Scotiabank Saddledome digs, handing the Heat a 7-1 defeat this past Sunday afternoon.

Still, simply being back on the ice counted as an important first step for the Heat, who picked up stakes Jan. 28, and set up operations in Calgary for this season. The move was made to simplify player movement and prevent cross-border issues created by the COVID-19 pandemic, but it forced them to start long after the AHL’s Feb. 5, opening. The Heat have also shifted from the Pacific Division to the new Canadian Division for 2020-21.

Toronto faced an early ambush from the Heat, who