Heat Edged by Rampage 3-2

Published on March 3, 2011 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Abbotsford Heat News Release


SAN ANTONIO TX - San Antonio goaltender Matt Climie turned aside 33 of 35 Abbotsford Heat shots and Matt Watkins scored a pair of goals to lead the San Antonio Rampage to a 3-2 win over the Abbotsford Heat in AHL action on Wednesday night.

After a scoreless first period, the Rampage opened the scoring midway thru the second when Watkins took advantage of a fortunate hop off the sideboards in the Heat zone, beating a surprised Irving for his 10th goal of the season. Before the period was out Ales Kotalik would tie things up for the Heat, stripping Maxim Goncharov of the puck deep in Rampage territory and faking Climie in close before tucking the puck under the crossbar. Kotalik's third goal in two nights had the two teams tied 1-1 after forty minutes.

However, in the third period, Watkins restored the Heat lead, stealing the puck from Heat defender TJ Brodie and converting his own rebound past Irving in the opening two minutes of the final frame. Matt Pope added a power play goal midway thru the third to extend the Rampage lead to 3-1. Brodie brought the Heat within one goal at 16:57, going coast to coast before snapping a puck past Climie to bring the Heat to within one, but despite a shot advantage of 35-25 on the night, the Heat would draw no closer on the evening.

Abbotsford moves to 1-1 on this five game swing and remains in 5th place in the North Division, four points out of a playoff spot and just six points back of first place Hamilton. The Heat now head to Oklahoma City for a pair of game, beginning Friday night. Pregame show from OK City will be at 4:50 PM, PST on Friday, with the opening faceoff scheduled for 5:05 PM.

All of the Heat action can be heard on Country 107.1 FM. Dave Sheldon has the call of every game. For road games, the pregame show will get things started 15 minutes before faceoff, while at home Dave and Craig MacEwen of Roger's Sportsnet will get the Diamond Bar Equipment Pregame Show underway thirty minutes prior to puck drop.

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American Hockey League Stories from March 3, 2011


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