Sports stats



Heat Blast Marlies 5-1

February 15, 2010 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Abbotsford Heat News Release


TORONTO ONT - The Abbotsford HEAT continue to roll on their nine game road trip. Mikael Backlund scored twice in his return to the HEAT while Olivier Latendresse also added a pair as the Abbotsford HEAT hammered the Toronto Marlies 5-1 in AHL action on Monday afternoon in Toronto.

Cam Cunning opened the scoring with his 12th goal of the season early in the opening period. On a HEAT power play, Cunning corralled a pass by Garth Murray behind the net and wrapped his shot thru Marlies goalie James Reimer to open the scoring at 3:19. For Cunning, it was the third consecutive game that he has opened the scoring for his team, and his fourth consecutive game with a goal, which is the longest such streak currently in the AHL.

Before the period was finished, the Marlies would respond on a power play of their own. Justin Hodgman was able to pick up a loose puck beside HEAT goalie David Shantz and won the race with the HEAT net minder to the far post, wrapping in his 5th goal of the season at 13:56. The game would finish 1-1 after the opening period, with the Heat outshooting their Toronto counterparts by a 12-8 margin.

In a closely contested second period, the HEAT would continue to apply pressure. That pressure would turn into a power play, which once again turned into a HEAT goal with the man advantage. Olivier Latendresse would park himself out in front of Reimer and tip in a Jason Jaffray shot from the high slot to give his team the lead. For Latendresse, it was his first goal as a member of the HEAT and gave his team a 2-1 lead at 17:03 of the second period. The Heat would go to the intermission up 2-1, having outshot the Marlies 22-16 after forty minutes.

In the third the Heat would break the game wide open. Olivier Latendresse would score a beauty to give his team a 3-1 lead. Latendresse would drive the puck in behind the goal, and then he came out with his back to the goal. The speedy forward would flip the puck to his backhand and lift the puck over Reimer and under the crossbar. An amazing goal from Latendresse would give the HEAT a 3-1 lead at 3:33 of the third.

Then the Mikael Backlund show would begin. Backlund, reassigned by the Calgary Flames for the Olympic Break, would play his first game for Abbotsford since being recalled to Calgary in early January. Backlund would stick in his own rebound past Reimer at 8:44 to make it 4-1 HEAT. Backlund would then add another goal just a few minutes later. Leading a 3 on 2 rush into the Marlies zone, Backlund would lay a perfect pass onto the stick of Shawn Weller. Weller would fake his shot and return the pass to Backlund, who buried the biscuit up and over an out of position Reimer. For Backlund, it was his 12th goal of the season, and would round out the HEAT scoring 5-1.

David Shantz would stop all but one of the 23 shots fired his way by the Marlies and pick up his 6th win of the season. The Heat is now 3-0 on their nine game road trip. With the win, the Heat are now in sole possession of third place in the North Division, two points ahead of Manitoba and now just four points back of the second place Rochester Americans.

The Heat will now board a plane for Boston and set up in the Northeast United States for the next 13 days. Abbotsford will play the Providence Bruins on Friday night to start their first of six games versus the Eastern Conference. You can catch all the action on Country 107.1 FM. The Honda Way Pre Game Show will kick things off at 3:50 pm. Dave Sheldon will have the call of all the action from Providence at 4:05 pm.

1. Olivier Latendresse - ABB 2. Mikael Backlund - ABB 3. Garth Murray - ABB



American Hockey League Stories from February 15, 2010


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

Other Recent Abbotsford Heat Stories



Sports Statistics from the Stats Crew
OurSports Central