Heat Shoot Down Aeros 5-4

Published on March 6, 2011 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Abbotsford Heat News Release


HOUSTON TX - Heat forward Ales Kotalik would score the game winning goal with just 45.5 seconds remaining in the third period to lift the Abbotsford Heat over the Houston Aeros 5-4 in an exciting game that featured five different lead changes.

Abbotsford Heat forward Gaelan Patterson collected his seventh goal of the season to open the scoring at 3:16 of the first to give the Heat an early 1-0 lead over the Houston Aeros. Patterson would be the beneficiary of a Matt Keith slap shot lifting the rebound over the shoulder of Houston goaltender Josh Tordjman to put the Heat up 1-0. The score remained 1-0 Heat after the first period of play.

The Houston Aeros evened things up early in the second period with forward Jon DiSalvatore sneaking one past Heat keeper J.P. Lamoureux to make it a 1-1 game. Heat blue liner T.J. Brodie restored the Heat's one goal lead with a long shot through traffic past a screened Josh Tordjman to restore the Heat lead 2-1 at 8:29. DiSalvatore then picked up his second goal of the game on the power play at 10:43 to even things up for the second time in the period. The two teams headed to the dressing room after forty minutes of play knotted 2-2.

In an eventful third period Chad Rau of the Houston Aeros would give his team their first lead of the game on the power play, snapping a big rebound over Heat keeper J.P. Lamoureux to give Houston a 3-2 advantage. Heat captain Quintin Laing again would even things up with a power play marker of his own to tie the game back up at 3-3. Houston Aeros forward Jarod Palmer then put his team up 4-3 with a high deflection past Lamoureux at 6:33 of the third. Cam Cunning answered back minutes later, slamming home a rebound at 10:02 to once again tie the score, this time 4-4. DiSalvatore, who scored two goals in this game on the power play, ironically tripped up Heat forward Ryan MacMurchy, who was in the penalty box for both DiSalvatore's goals, with just over two minutes to play, setting the stage for Kotalik in the final minute.

After a Heat time out, Abbotsford would control the puck in Houston's zone. John Negrin shifted the puck over to Gord Baldwin from the left point to the top of the right side of the Aeros zone. Baldwin's quickly snapped a pass cross ice to Kotalik, and the forward hammered home a one-time slap shot from the face off dot in the left circle with 45.5 seconds to play. For Kotalik, it was his fourth of the season and proved to be the game winner in this see saw contest.

With the victory, the Heat remains in 5th spot in the North Division, but has now created a 'Battle Royale' in the division. First place Hamilton and 5th place Abbotsford find themselves separated by just three points, with Manitoba, Toronto and Lake Erie squeezed in between.

The Heat finishes their five games in six night juggernaut thru the south with an impressive 3-1-1 record. Abbotsford will now fly home to the Fraser Valley Monday before getting ready for a four game home stand that begins Friday night, March 11th, versus the AHL leading Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins, affiliate for the Pittsburgh Penguins. You can catch all the action on Country 107.1 with Dave Sheldon and Craig MacEwen of Roger's Sportsnet, as they get the Diamond Bar Equipment Pregame Show underway at 6:30 PM. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 PM from the Abbotsford Entertainment & Sports Centre.

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American Hockey League Stories from March 6, 2011


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