Heat Hot Sheet - Marlies and Heat on CBC

Published on January 10, 2011 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Abbotsford Heat News Release


ABBOTSFORD BC ‚¬" The Abbotsford Heat crossed the halfway point of the season this past weekend with a pair of games versus the Philadelphia Flyers affiliate, the Adirondack Phantoms. In a pair of hard fought games, the Heat emerged from their seven game winless streak with a two game win streak after back to back 3-2 shootout victories.

The Heat now kick off the second half of their season with a North Division battle beginning this Friday night in Abbotsford as the Toronto Marlies come to town. The Marlies, 19-15-0-7, sit in third place in the North, four points ahead of the Heat, who hold one game in hand. Toronto has a blend of youth with a mix of NHL veterans on their roster.

First the youth:

a) Nazem Kadri ‚¬" Kadri, a 7th overall draft selection of the Leafs in 2009, just turned 20 back in late October, yet the world of expectations have been placed on him by the success starved Leafs Nation. It was made clear that Kadri may not be ready for the NHL by Leafs Head Coach Ron Wilson, so he has been sent packing back and forth between the parent club and the Marlies this season while he finds his game. With the Marlies, Kadri has looked very much in place, scoring seven goals and eleven assists in just 18 games this season.

b) Keith Aulie ‚¬" According to former Flames GM Darryl Sutter, Aulie was a key part of the Dion Phaneauf trade getting done. After starting last season with the Abbotsford Heat, Aulie was part of the blockbuster that has Phaneauf in the blue and white of the Leafs. Another young player at just 21, Aulie has seen time with the Leafs and Marlies as well so far this season. Aulie has three goals and five assists for the Marlies this season from the blue line and have acquitted himself well.

Now the veterans:

a) Jeff Cowan ‚¬" Cowan the BRA-barian returns! Jeff Cowan comes back to this market after spending two years with the Canucks organization from 2006-08. In 2006, Cowan burst onto the scene for the Canucks, as the tough guy turned on the red light seven times, prompting some women to throw their brassieres onto the ice, which spun into the nickname above. Cowan has over 400 NHL games on his resume and brings grit to the Marlies line-up. In just 12 games, Cowan has scored twice and added 3 assists, yet has 0 Penalty minutes.

b) Jeff Finger ‚¬" Don ‚¬â„¢t point the finger at this defender, as the Leafs offered Finger a four year, 14 million dollar deal back in 2008, a 700% raise over his previous earnings with the Colorado Avalanche. With big dollars come bigger expectations, and Finger now finds himself in the AHL after being unable to live up to the Toronto hype machine. Finger has 199 NHL games under his belt and has played 23 games with the Marlies this season, posting five assists and 23 PIMS.

c) Mike Zigomanis ‚¬" Have stick, will travel. One of those players with a useful set of skills. So useful, that five teams, (Carolina, St. Louis, Phoenix, Pittsburgh and now Toronto) have seen this player in their NHL line-up. Zigomanis, 29, was a 40 goal player twice in the OHL with Kingston and also potted 29 one year in the AHL with Lowell. But ‚¬ËœZiggy ‚¬â„¢ has only been able to net a career high 14 goals with Phoenix back in the 06-07 season and now finds himself trying to claw back to the NHL via Toronto. He is working hard with the Marlies and leads their team in scoring with 22 points; including a team high 17 assists. If he continues his strong playmaking in little T, maybe Brian Burke will give him a call to set up the likes of Phil Kessel in the future.

Toronto and the Abbotsford Heat will play a nationally televised game on Sunday, January 16th at 11 A.M. as part of the AHL on CBC series. These two teams met last year in the first ever CBC AHL broadcast, with the Marlies scoring a last minute goal in regulation before netting the overtime winner to drop the Heat 2-1. The Heat and Marlies have met three times in Toronto this season, with the Heat winning the opener and the Marlies winning the last two meetings. Back on Thanksgiving in October, Cam Cunning finished off a sweet feed from Mitch Wahl with less than four minutes to play to give the Heat a 3-2 win. However, in back to back games in early December, the injury ravaged Heat dropped a 6-4 and 2-0 decision to the Marlies at the Ricoh Coliseum.

The two teams will meet again in Abbotsford in mid February before finishing the season series with the season finale on April 11 in Toronto.

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American Hockey League Stories from January 10, 2011


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