Heat Hot Facts

February 1, 2010 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Abbotsford Heat News Release


1) The Abbotsford HEAT has seen a bit of a roster makeover this past week...

Forward Mikael Backlund was recalled to the Calgary Flames on Tuesday afternoon and made his season debut in Dallas versus the Stars on Wednesday night. Backlund scored his first NHL goal in Phoenix on Thursday night versus the Coyotes in a 3-2 Shootout loss.

Goaltender David Shantz has been recalled from Victoria of the ECHL. Shantz was 18-5-4 this season with the Salmon Kings and was selected to the ECHL All Star Game. So far this season, Shantz is 2-3 with the HEAT, posting a 4.14 GAA and a save percentage of.851.

Goaltender Leland Irving has been reassigned to the Victoria Salmon Kings. This season, Irving was 11-15-2 in 30 appearances with the HEAT, posting a goals against average of 2.68 and a save percentage of.909.

Justin Bowers was signed to a PTO on Friday morning. Bowers, from Halifax, NS, was playing hockey with the Allen Americans of the Central Hockey League this season before signing with the HEAT. In 39 games with the Americans, Bowers scored 17 goals and 37 assists for 54 points. Bowers will wear #26.

Mark Mitera is a 22 year old defenseman from Royal Oak, Michigan, drafted in the 1st round (19th overall) 2006 NHL Draft by the Anaheim Ducks. Mitera started this season with the San Antonio Rampage of the AHL and has been loaned by the Ducks to the HEAT from the Bakersfield Condors of the ECHL. In 32 games with Bakersfield this season, Mitera has 3 goals and 10 assists for 13 points and 50 penalty minutes. Mitera will wear #5

Shawn Weller is a 23 year old left winger from Glen Falls, NY, drafted in the third round (77th overall) of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft by the Ottawa Senators. Weller has spent the season with the Bakersfield Condors of the ECHL, scoring 18 goals and adding 28 assists for 46 points in 42 games. Weller has also amassed 65 penalty minutes this season. Weller will wear #29.

Keith Aulie was part of the Dion Phaneuf trade that sent Phaneuf to Toronto. Aulie will report to the Toronto Marlies of the AHL. Aulie played 43 games for the HEAT this season, scoring two goals and adding four assists for six points and 32 penalty minutes.

2) The Abbotsford HEAT finished the week 0-2 after suffering back to back losses in Texas this past Friday and Saturday night to the Texas Stars. On Friday, the Stars would score twice in each period, rolling to a 6-1 rout of the HEAT. The STARS would score four of their six goals on tip ins or deflections out in front of goaltender David Shantz, while the other two goals were scored by way of breakaway and by a puck batted out of mid air.

On Saturday night, the HEAT came to play, dominating the Stars, but falling once again by the score of 4-2. Matt Climie was the difference maker in goal for the Stars, as he turned away 35 of 37 shots for the win.

3) The HEAT will play three times this week, beginning with a game on Monday night in Houston versus the Minnesota Wild affiliate, the Houston Aeros. The HEAT is 1-1-1-0 versus the Aeros this season. The HEAT beat the Aeros in Houston in early January. 4-3 in overtime on a goal by David Van der Gulik for their first overtime winner of the season. However, back in Abbotsford on January 22nd, the Aeros poured in seven goals past Leland Irving in a 7-1 pasting of the HEAT. The following evening, the HEAT and Aeros had their most entertaining game. After Abbotsford scored the first 2 goals of the contest to take a 2-0 lead after one period, the Aeros scored three power play goals in under five minutes to retake the lead 3-2 after two. Cam Cunning and Colin Stuart would get the lead back for the Aeros with goals in the first half of the third period to give the Heat a 4-3 lead, only to see the Aeros score once in the last two minutes of the game, and again in overtime, to beat the HEAT 5-4 in OT.

On Thursday and Friday of this week, FEBRUARY 4th and 5th, the HEAT will welcome Chris Chelios and the Chicago Wolves to the Abbotsford Entertainment and Sports Centre. Chelios, who turned 48 years old on January 25th, was originally a 2nd round draft pick of the Montreal Canadiens back in the 1981 NHL ENTRY DRAFT. Chelios has played parts of 25 seasons in the NHL and has won the Stanley Cup three times, once with Montreal (1986) and twice with Detroit (2002, 2008). Chelios is also a three time winner of the Norris Trophy, the award presented to the NHL's top defenseman. Chelios has appeared in more NHL games, (1645) than any other US player in NHL history.

4) The Abbotsford HEAT ended the month of January with a record of 5-6-2. The Heat remain in 4th place in the North Division with a 21-21-4-3 record for 49 points thru 49 games.



American Hockey League Stories from February 1, 2010


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