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Heat Weekly

December 27, 2011 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Abbotsford Heat News Release


The Heat was playing some of its best hockey of the season leading up to the Christmas break, as the club earned points in eight of its last nine games. The Heat put together a franchise record six-game winning streak to start the month of December which included three triumphs in row at the AESC. Even with its strong play, the Heat currently sits in third place in the ultra- competitive West division behind the Oklahoma City Barons and Houston Aeros; with 42 points, the Heat would be leading any other division in the American Hockey League.

Prior to the Christmas break the AHL's road warriors split a pair of games away from the AESC, winning in Grand Rapids on Wednesday and falling short in Chicago on Thursday with nu- merous regulars out of the line- up for both games.

Krys Kolanos, who lit the lamp twice in Grand Rapids, opened the scoring for a league-leading seventh time this season. The needed overtime, and the Heat extended its point streak to eight games - winning 4-3 on a Clay Wilson goal just 52 seconds into the extra frame.

Abbotsford's season-long eight game point streak came to an end in Chicago the following night as the club dropped just their fourth road game of the campaign. Kolanos and Quintin Laing ended the night with two points each; Kolanos assisted on both Heat goals while La- ing earned an assist on Jordan Henry's goal to go along with his seventh marker of the season in a 5-2 loss.

The Abbotsford Heat returns to action after a four-day Christmas break with the final two home games of 2011 on Thursday and Friday against the Texas Stars.

In their two prior meetings this season, the Heat earned a pair of stunning wins against the Stars, during the club's season-long two-week road trip through the states of Texas and Oklahoma in November. In the first game, Abbotsford erased a 2-0 deficit in the final 4:04 of the contest, tying the game with just 47 sec- onds left, before winning in the shootout; the following night the Heat won 3-1.

Leland Irving and Raitis Ivanans led the way as Irving stopped 69 of 72 shots in the wins, while Iva- nans set up Lance Bouma's late game-tying goal on Friday before potting the winner the next night for his first goal as a member of the Heat.

Krys Kolanos returned to the site of his sea- son debut last week, and had the official scor- ers putting pen to paper in Grand Rapids again.

Abbotsford's leading scorer played his first game of pro hockey in 22 months at Van Andel Arena on October 28th after recovering from microfracture hip surgery. In Kolanos' season debut the 30 year old forward made an immediate impact posting a hat trick and adding an assist in a 5-1 Heat victory.

Kolanos has been on fire since appearing in that first contest, posting 15 goals and 15 assists in 22 games this season to lead the Heat in goals, power- play goals, points and shots on goal. Kolanos has net- ted the game's opening goal a league-leading seven times this season despite missing nine games to date.



American Hockey League Stories from December 27, 2011


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