Heat hold off Barons, 3-2
April 12, 2014 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Oklahoma City Barons News Release
Despite out-shooting the Abbotsford Heat 37-19 and carrying the play to them much of the game, the Oklahoma City Barons failed to gain in the playoff race by falling to the Heat 3-2 on Friday at the Abbotsford Entertainment& Sports Centre.
Oklahoma City, 33-28-2-9, stays tied with Charlotte for the eighth and final Calder Cup playoff spot with 77 points, one behind Rochester. The Barons have four games left. Rockford and Utica sit two points behind Oklahoma City and Charlotte with 75 points apiece. Abbotsford, which had already clinched a playoff spot and is fifth in the Western Conference, improves to 40-25-5-2 in taking its third straight.
The Barons never led in the game. The Heat scored first despite the Barons jumping out to an early shot edge, leading in shots 15-10 after one period. Brett Olson slipped free down low, received a pass from Corey Locke and back-handed the puck past Richard Bachman 1:29 after the opening faceoff.
The Heat made it 2-0 at 5:34 when Derek Smith carried the puck up ice, reached the top of the faceoff circle and slapped one past Bachman unassisted.
The Barons continued to initiate the play in the second period, scoring the only goal and out-shooting them 9-4. On the power play, Roman Horak won a faceoff to C.J. Stretch, whose shot was tipped home by Matthew Ford at 5:37. Ford has goals in nine of the past 12 games and a team-high 24 on the season. The Barons went 1-for-6 on the power play while killing off all four Heat man advantages.
The Barons kept the pressure on in the third, out-shooting them 13-5, yet the Heat made it 3-1 when a turnover in the Barons' zone gave the puck to Ben Street, who set up Blair Jones for a shot from the high slot at 7:32.
With Bachman pulled for an extra attacker in the final 2 ½ minutes, the Barons made it a one-goal game when Taylor Fedun threaded home a shot with Ford creating a screen in front at 17:38. Horak was credited with the assist.
Bachman stopped 16 shots in falling to 24-18-6. Joni Ortio, the game's No. 1 star, denied 35 shots in upping his record to 25-8-0. Oklahoma City is 2-4-0-1 against Abbotsford this season and faces them on Sunday at 3 pm CDT in the season series finale.
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