Heat win 5th straight, eight of nine on the road

Published on February 27, 2010 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Abbotsford Heat News Release


WORCESTER MA - It is official...the Abbotsford Heat are the hottest team in the American Hockey League! Abbotsford took the lead four separate times before finally dispatching the pesky Worcester Sharks 4-3 on Saturday night in New England. With the victory, the HEAT has concluded their longest road trip of the season with an astonishing eight wins in nine starts.

The Heat would open the scoring late in the opening period, as Mikael Backlund would jump on a loose puck created by Jason Jaffray and snap a shot past Sharks goalie Frank Doyle, making his first start of the season for the Atlantic Division leaders. Backlund's 14th goal of the season, unassisted at 15:01, opened the scoring in this game.

Before the period was over, the Sharks would tie things up on the power play. TJ Trevelyan would score his second goal in as many games versus the Heat, jamming in a rebound past Heat keeper Matt Keetley to tie things up at 1-1 at 18:52 on the power play. The two teams would wrap up the period tied at 1-1.

In the second, the Heat would take the lead once again, this time courtesy of Cam Cunning. Cunning would snap home a Mikael Backlund rebound for his 13th goal of the season at 6:47. But Sharks Captain, Ryan Vesce would answer right back, as he redirected a puck off his skate past Keetley at 10:01 to tie the game 2-2.

Heat Head Coach Jim Playfair had seen enough at this point of Keetley, and replaced him in the Heat goal with the red-hot David Shantz. Minutes later, Jason Jaffray would once again give the Heat the lead for the third time in the game. Jaffray would follow up the prettiest play of the night, as David Van der Gulik and Mikael Backlund worked a give and go that left the 5671 fans in attendance in awe and left Van der Gulik alone in front of the Sharks goalie Doyle. Doyle would rob Van der Gulik with the poke check, only to leave a big rebound for Jaffray to pump home. Jaffray's 21st of the season gave the Heat a 3-2 lead after two periods.

But early in the third, the Sharks would once again tie things up. TJ Trevelyan would pick up his second of the game and 16th of the season, as he snuck a shot past Shantz in traffic, once again on a Sharks power play. In fact, 2 of the three Shark goals tonight came on the power play while the Heat never went on the power play all game...a first this season. Just 30 seconds into the final period, the game was tied at 3-3.

But the Heat would save their best for last. After continuous pressure in the Sharks zone, Staffan Kronwall would pinch from the left point to deliver the puck out front to Jason Jaffray. Jaffray's shot would ricochet back to the left point to JD Watt, who was covering Kronwall on the pinch. Watt would step into a shot from the top of the left faceoff circle and beat Doyle with a shot that left a vapour trail behind it. Watt's 8th of the year would stand up as the game winner and the Heat would skate away with a hard fought 4-3 win in a wildly entertaining contest.

With the win, the Heat move into sole possession of second place in the North Division, two points ahead of the Rochester Americans. Abbotsford is now 9-1 in their past ten games and finish the month of February with a remarkable record of 10-3-0-1, with ten of those fourteen games being road games. Abbotsford now will head back home where 12 of their last 17 games are at the Abbotsford Entertainment and Sports Centre. The Heat now has a record of 19-14-0-2 on the road this year, and have guaranteed themselves a .500 record away from the AESC this season. Last year, the Quad City Flames managed just 13 road wins and failed to qualify for the Calder Cup Playoffs by one point.

The Heat will now catch a plane home to Vancouver and get set for four games in five nights, beginning with a pair of games versus the Boston Bruins affiliate, the Providence Bruins. NHL first round pick Zach Hamill of Port Coquitlam and line mate John Lammers of Langley will make their way west to take on the Heat on Tuesday and Wednesday, followed by North Vancouver's Michael Wilson and San Jose Sharks affiliate, the Worcester Sharks, this Friday and Saturday night.

You can catch all of the Heat action on Country 107.1 FM. Game time this Tuesday in Abbotsford will be at 7:30 pm. Dave Sheldon will bring you the call of the game live from the AESC, beginning with the Honda Way pre game show at 7 pm. Dave will be joined in the booth by Sportsnet Pacific Bureau Chief Craig MacEwen.

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



American Hockey League Stories from February 27, 2010


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central