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Heat Sneak Past Penguins

March 12, 2011 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Abbotsford Heat News Release


Abbotsford, B.C. - Ales Kotalik would upset the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins for the first time this season in the shootout, scoring the lone goal on Aldergrove native Brad Thiessen to lift the Abbotsford Heat over the league leading Penguins by a score of 5-4 in AHL action at the Abbotsford Sports and Entertainment Centre Saturday night.

The Abbotsford Heat would get out to a much better start on Saturday with plenty of physical play slowing the high octane fore check of the visiting Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins. Heat forward Ryan MacMurchy opened the scoring for Abbotsford at 3:47 of the first frame, backhanding home a Jon Rheault rebound past an outstretched Penguins goaltender Brad Theissen. MacMurchy's goal would put the Abbotsford Heat up 1-0 after the first period of play.

The Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins tied the game up early in the second on the power play with Aldergrove, B.C. native Ryan Craig banging it past Heat net minder J.P. Lamoureux to make it a 1-1 game. A well executed up ice rush would put the Heat back up by a goal at 15:47 of the second on a great tic tac toe passing play ending with John Armstrong directing a Logan MacMillan feed past Penguins goalie Brad Thiessen. A late second period marker by Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins Joe Vitale once again tied up the game 2-2 going into the third period.

Abbotsford Heat blue liner Josh Meyers put his team up for a third time in the game on a point shot through traffic that would find the corner past Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins Brad Thiessen. Heat Captain Quintin Laing then doubled the lead on a power play goal that would deflect past Thiessen to increase the lead to 4-2 at 12:21 of the third. Two late third period goals by the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins Brett Sterling at 18:36 and Andrew Hutchinson at 19:22 would tie the game up in a flurry of action in the dying minutes of the third period. Both Pens goals in the dying minutes were scored with Thiessen on the bench for the extra attacker. The score would remain 4-4 at the end of three periods forcing an overtime frame.

The overtime frame would fail to solve anything with a shootout being needed to decide a winner. Heat forward Ales Kotalik would be the only player to score in a goaltenders dual of a shootout giving the Heat a 5-4 victory.

The Abbotsford Heat faceoff next against division rival Hamilton Bulldogs in a couple of key games for the Heat this coming Friday and Saturday March 18th and 19th at the Abbotsford Sports and Entertainment Centre. Catch all the action on Country 107.1 with Dave Sheldon getting the Diamond Bar Equipment pre game started at 6:30pm... Puck drops at 7:00pm.

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