Heat Weekly

January 24, 2012 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Abbotsford Heat News Release


The Abbotsford Heat bounced back against the Charlotte Checkers in the second half of their back-to-back set on Satur- day night, earning a 5-2 victory on Saturday night at the AESC. The win avenged a Checkers 5-0 win the night before.

On Friday, Abbotsford wel- comed Dustin Sylvester back to the line-up, as he played in his first contest since being injured on December 22nd in Chicago. Also forward Robby Dee made his Heat debut after signing a Professional Tryout (PTO) con- tract with the club just prior to puck drop.

On Saturday Clay Wilson net- ted his seventh of the season while sporting the `C` for the home club with Quintin Laing out with injury. Netminder Joni Ortio, who got the nod in goal, stopped 34 of 36 Checker shots to earn his first win of the sea- son. Danny Taylor had started the previous 17 games between the pipes.

The Abbotsford Heat and Chica- go Wolves (Canucks) open a two- game set at the AESC tonight. Games against Vancouver's AHL affiliate have traditionally drawn the largest crowds of the season in Abbotsford as fans from across the Lower Mainland and the Fra- ser Valley watch the Heat take on future Canucks.

Both teams have hit rough patches of play in 2012 as the Wolves have lost four games in a row, after starting January with five straight victories; the Heat snapped a three game skid with an emotional comeback win on Saturday night against the Char- lotte Checkers. The Heat have two wins (one in a shootout) and a loss against the Wolves in three prior meeting this season, all of which have taken place Illinois.

Abbotsford is six points back of the Western Conference leading OKC Barons, but hold a game-in- hand on their divisional rivals. The Wolves sit in a tie for sec- ond spot in the Midwest Division with 46 points in 41 games, while the Heat are in third spot in the West division with 53 points in 42 games.

Saturday's 5-2 win for the Heat over the Charlotte Checkers saw multiple firsts for Heat players, as for- ward Robby Dee - who was called up from the Ba- kersfield Condors and signed a PTO just a day ear- lier - and defender James Martin scored their first AHL goals, while Joni Ortio earned his first AHL win in his second start of the season. Martin was playing in his first game since December 4th having missed 17 games as he recovered from a broken thumb. Carter Bancks also tallied his first goal of the cam- paign, and Akim Aliu drew his first assist after scor- ing four goals in his previous ten games. For Bancks it was his sixth career AHL goal; Bancks missed 15 games with injury to finish the 2011 portion of the schedule.

The game saw the Heat comeback from a 2-0 deficit, scoring five unanswered goals in the final 21 minutes of play to keep pace in a tight West Division.



American Hockey League Stories from January 24, 2012


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