Heat Weekly

February 7, 2012 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Abbotsford Heat News Release


The Heat hit the highway for their fifth three-in-three stint of the season this past week and improved their record in that situation to 10-5-0-0.

Leland Irving started between the pipes for both games in the Liberty State after spending the better part of two months in the NHL. Irving picked up the win in the second game as the Heat split the series against the Americans dropping the first game 3-0 and battling back for a 3-2 OT win in the rematch.

All-Star defenseman Clay Wilson led the way in the Heat victory as three of his point shots found the back of the net. Other Heat highlights included the return of forward Jon Rheault, after be- ing sidelined for five games with injury and newly acquired Brian Connelly suited up for the first time as a member of the Heat.

Danny Taylor took the loss for the Heat as they played their third game in as many days fall- ing 5-2 to the Toronto Marlies.

Entrenched in a battle for top spot in the West Division for most of the season, the Heat and the Oklahoma City Barons (Ed- monton Oilers) close out their eight-game regular season series this week with a pair of clashes in Western Canada. The teams will skate on both sides of the Rocky Mountains with the puck dropping in Calgary's Scotiabank Saddledome on Thursday, while the AESC will provide the com- forts of home for the rematch on Saturday.

The Barons currently hold the edge in the season series having earned eight points through six games, while the Heat have won twice and lost once in overtime to grab five points. The Barons are coming off a franchise record win streak that was snapped last week at seven games, while January saw the Heat struggle to amass points after a record breaking month of December that saw the club earn points in ten of eleven games.

The two teams combined to have six All-Stars in Atlantic City playing for the Western Confer- ence at the AHL's annual show- case event.

The mother of all comebacks was completed by the Heat's leading scorer last week. Krys Kolanos headed back to the NHL to join the Calgary Flames after sign- ing a two-year, two-way deal with the club. In Janu- ary 2010 Kolanos underwent a microfracture hip sur- gery that sidelined the Boston College product and former first rounder - he went 22 months between professional games.

The long and arduous road to recovery was capped earlier this season when Kolanos made his return to pro hockey in his debut with the Heat on October 28th in Grand Rapids. He made an immediate impact in that game, notching a hat trick and one assist. Since then, he's provided consistent offensive pro- duction for the Heat, posting 40 points (18-22-40) to lead the team in scoring.

Flames General Manager Jay Feaster pointed out that "Krys has been one of our best players in Abbotsford and has done everything we've asked of him to earn this opportunity."



American Hockey League Stories from February 7, 2012


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