Heat Top Dogs 4-3

Published on February 8, 2011 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Abbotsford Heat News Release


HAMILTON ON - The Abbotsford Heat scored three goals in the first ten minutes of play and cruised to a 4-3 victory over the Hamilton Bulldogs in AHL action on Tuesday night in the Steel City.

Ryan Stone opened the scoring for the Heat just over a minute into the game, taking a pass from Ales Kotalik and snapping a shot past a screened Curtis Sanford in the Bulldogs net to make the score 1-0 Abbotsford. For Stone, it was his first goal in eleven games. Just over two minutes later, the Heat doubled their lead when Jon Rheault spotted John Armstrong wide open in front of Sanford. Armstrong knocked in his first goal in ten games to make the score 2-0 just 3:19 into the opening period.

Abbotsford continued their dominating play, as Rheault stepped into a TJ Brodie pass from 30 feet out and blasted a power play goal past Sanford to make the score 3-0 at 10:21. Before the period was over, Hamilton would cut into the lead, as Aaron Palushaj's backhand would catch Heat goaltender Leland Irving cheating off the post. Palushaj's shot banked off the Heat net minder and in to make the score 3-1 after one period of play.

In the second, the Bulldogs continued to cut into the Heat lead, as Andrew Conboy tallied his ninth goal of the season, beating Irving from the top of the right faceoff circle with a shot that beat Irving blocker side. With the goal, the Bulldogs moved to within one, 3-2 after forty minutes.

The Heat power play went back into action early in the third period, and it provided the game winning goal as Gord Baldwin's point shot was neatly deflected past Sanford by rookie Bryan Cameron at 2:41 to increase the lead to 4-2. Once again, the Bulldogs would make it interesting as Gabriel Dumont picked up a turnover deep in Heat territory and snap a perfect shot under the crossbar on Irving to pull the Dogs back to within one goal, 4-3 at 12:13. That would be as close as the Bulldogs would get on Tuesday night, as Irving would turn aside 12 shots in the third period to pick up his AHL leading 21st win of the season.

With the win, Abbotsford climbs into a tie for fourth place in the North Division with the Toronto Marlies and are now just three points back of the Lake Erie Monsters for third in the division. Abbotsford holds two games in hand on the Monsters.

The Heat will wrap up their 10 game road trip with their final visit of the regular season to Rochester as they will face the Americans on Wednesday night. You can catch all the action on Country 107.1 FM and AHL Live. The pregame show begins at 3:50 PM, with Dave Sheldon providing the call of the game at 4:05 PST.

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American Hockey League Stories from February 8, 2011


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