ON THE LINE:

The playoff race is alive and well in the Western Conference. Entering Friday’s tilt against the Rockford Ice Hogs, the Heat sat in ninth place with 67 points – tied with the Oklahoma City Barons and Chicago Wolves. With every team having games in hand on the Heat, the remaining 11 games will be crucial in deciding their playoff fate.

THE FLOW:

A combination of bad luck and former Heat net-minder Henrik Karlsson was the story of the game for the Abbotsford Heat. The pucks that Karlsson couldn’t stop went wide and the shots that were accurate Karlsson thwarted.

The Heat simply weren’t able to solve the hulking backstop until 13:13 of the second period when Carter Bancks found himself on a breakaway and made no mistake as he snapped it top shelf.

The Heat outshot the Ice Hogs 35 to 26 and made a strong case to come back from their early 4-0 deficit. Unfortunately, they could only cut Rockford’s lead to two, and couldn’t score in the final frame.

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FRIDAY MARCH 22 – 7:00 PST vs. ROCKFORD ICEHOGS
SATURDAY MARCH 23 – 7:00 PST vs. ROCKFORD ICEHOGS

Streaming: TeamRadio.ca – Friday & Saturday
*Pre-Game Show begins 15 minutes prior puck-drop

The Abbotsford Heat return to home ice to host the Rockford IceHogs (AHL affiliate of the Chicago Blackhawks) on Friday and Saturday night at the Abbotsford Entertainment and Sports Centre (AESC).

The Heat have returned from their season-long, seven-game road trip sitting in ninth spot in the Western Conference with 67 points in 65 games played. The Rockford IceHogs are one of the teams trying to chase down the Heat, just a single point behind Abbotsford with three games in hand. The Heat have eleven games remaining in the regular season.

Both teams will be missing players due to suspension. Heat forward Mike Testwuide has two games remaining in his three game suspension for a charging incident in Austin last Wednesday. Akim Aliu has served his one game suspension for amassing two misconducts in the abuse of officials category, and will be available to the Heat. The IceHogs will be missing three players for Friday’s game, as forwards Wade Brookbank and Jeremy Morin and defenceman Shawn LaLonde were all handed one game suspensions for their roles in a brawl that spilled into the Rockford bench in Sunday’s game against Chicago.

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Photo credit: Darren Abate/San Antonio Rampage

1. WILD WEST SHOOTOUT: For the second time in San Antonio this season the Heat tied the game in the last 15 seconds and won the game in the shootout. The Heat led 2-0 after 20 minutes, but the Rampage chipped away, eventually tying the game just shy of the 12:00 mark of the 3rd period. That’s when things got crazy. Max Reinhart scored his first goal in over a month to give the Heat their second lead of the night, and then less than two minutes later, the Rampage struck twice in just 14 seconds. The Heat trailed 4-3 with 4:12 remaining. With an empty net behind the Heat, Blair Jones scored the winner on a Max Reinhart rebound, and the game was headed to overtime.

2. TOP-LINE TALENT: Sven Baertschi, Ben Walter and Krys Kolanos combined for seven points and a shootout goal in the stunning win. The rookie forward opened the scoring with his first goal since assignment from Calgary and added two assists, while Walter and Kolanos each had two assists in the tenth road win of the season for the Heat. Walter’s shootout goal in the third round would be the decisive strike after Blair Jones potted his second SO goal of the season in the prior round.

3. BRUSTING OUT IN THE ALAMO CITY: Barry Brust made numerous huge saves in the win, including three in the sequence captured in the photo above. Brust was his cool, patient and unpredictable self in the shootout in which he stopped all four shots with apparent ease. Brust made 36 saves in the win that vaulted the Heat into the final playoff spot in the Western Confernece.

Boxscore

Highlights, Images, Video and Audio at AbbotsfordHeat.com/media

Photo credit: Morris Molina/Houston Aeros

1. CONNOLLY HAUNTS HEAT: Former Heat blueliner Brian Connelly put the home team up with a pair of power play markers in the opening 30 minutes of play. Connelly’s two goals had the Houston up 2-0, and brought the crowd of 6,339 to life. It was a hole the visitors couldn’t escape from as Darcy Kuemper made 33 saves to hold the Heat to a single goal. Connelly was appropriately named the game’s first star.

2. FRUSTRATING FINAL FORTY: The Heat out shot the Aeros 29-12 from the drop of the puck in the second period until the end of the game. Typically, that kind of shot margin would be enough to outscore the opponent, but not on this night, as the Heat finished 0/7 on the power play and three-for-five on the penalty kill.

3. TESTWUIDE’S HANDS AND FISTS : Mike Testwuide has had an eventful 30-some hours. The big winger who was acquired for Mitch Wahl got in a scrap for the second time in as many games, and added the lone Heat tally with just 14 seconds remaining. Testwuide’s goal saw the power forward dangle through neutral ice before blasting a shot past Darcy Kuemper’s blocker at into the Houston net. Fists AND hands… Nice!

Boxscore

Highlights, Images, Video and Audio at AbbotsfordHeat.com/media

Photo credit: Josh Rasmussen/Texas Stars

1. PHYSICAL OLD FOES: The finale of a four-game season series saw the Heat and Stars get at it like they did in 2011-12 – when they faced each other eight times as West Division rivals. Following Christopher Nilstorp’s injury after contact with Mike Testwuide, James Martin scrapped Bretton Cameron, and a few minutes later it was Testwuide himself who answered the bell when challenged by former Heat defender Gord Baldwin.

2. MUSICAL GOALIES: Danny Taylor and Christopher Nilstorp both started the game, but neither would finish the contest. With a 2-1 lead after 20 minutes, the Heat allowed thee goals in the first 4:45 of the second period, the second of which ended Danny Taylor’s night. Brust would stop 11 of 12 the rest of the way, while Campbell would allow one goal on 18 shots. Nilstorp’s status is up in the air after he left the game and didn’t return following a collision that had him motionless on the ice for some time.

3. SLY & SPECIAL K: Krys Kolanos and Dustin Sylvester returned to the line-up after being healthy scratches in Sunday’s loss. The duo each finished with two points and a rating of +2 on the night, with Kolanos recording a game-high four shots. Suddenly with 15 healthy forwards including some new faces, the Heat have been able to put the puck in the net.

Boxscore

Highlights, Images, Video and Audio at AbbotsfordHeat.com/media

WEDNESDAY MARCH 13 – 5:30 PM PST @ TEXAS STARS
THURSDAY MARCH 14 – 5:05 PST @ HOUSTON AEROS
SUNDAY MARCH 17 – 1:35 PST @ SAN ANTONIO RAMPAGE

Streaming: TeamRadio.ca – Wednesday, Thursday & Sunday
Radio: Sportsnet 960 The FAN (Calgary) – Thursday & Sunday
*Pre-Game Show begins 15 minutes prior puck-drop

The Abbotsford Heat will resume their season-long, 15-day road trip in Texas this week with three games in five days. The Heat will visit the Texas Stars (AHL affiliate of the Dallas Stars) on Wednesday night, the Houston Aeros (AHL affiliate of the Minnesota Wild) on Thursday night, and then close their seven-game trip on Sunday evening against the San Antonio Rampage (AHL affiliate of the Florida Panthers).

The Heat enter play this week holding the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference with 65 points in 62 games, sitting third in the North Division. The Heat are three points behind the division-leading Toronto Marlies and one point behind the Rochester Americans, with both teams holding five games in hand on the Heat.

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Photo Credit: TSG Photo/Toronto Marlies

1. ALL SYSTEMS GO: A thorough win in the Western Conference’s toughest building has the Heat back on the good foot. The visitors erased a 1-0 deficit in the first period and didn’t look back, only allowing a goal in the final minute of play. Drew MacKenzie and Joe Callahan were outstanding on the back end logging big minutes, while the Heat won the special teams battle with a Blair Jones rocket on a 4-on-3 advantage. Four goals is nice too, the Heat had scored just once in the previous three games.

2. BIG THANKS TO ALIU & BANCKS: Akim Aliu and Carter Bancks played alongside Heat Captain Quintin Laing and may have played their best games of the season. The two played physical, both got under the skin of the Marlies and each finished the game with a goal and an assist. The duo were rightfully named the first and second stars of the game. If they keep this up, they may need a tag-team moniker and some wrestling masks!

3. SVENTERESTING NEWS: Just as the puck was set to drop Twitter began to explode with rumours of Sven Baertschi’s possible return to the Heat. Those rumours were confirmed when the Calgary Flames officially announced that Baertschi had been assigned to the Heat make room for the return of centre Mikael Backlund. Baertschi may be available as soon as tomorrow’s game in Rochester. A Svensational development for the Heat in the thick of the hunt for a playoff spot.

Boxscore

Highlights, Images, Video and Audio at AbbotsfordHeat.com/media

Photo Credit: Micheline Veluvolu/Rochester Americans

1. LEGGIO LARGE: Despite a 44-26 edge in shots, the Heat lost 5-0. It seems preposterous, but it’s true. David Leggio was strong in his third shutout of the season and got help with two posts rung by the Heat. While there were a few rebounds in the early going, the AHL’s leader in Minutes Played, Wins, and Saves quickly rounded into vacuum like form, with second chances few and far between. It sounds like a broken record, but the Heat deserved a better fate on this night. The Amerks were outshot 32-15 in the final 40 minutes of play.

2. SPECIAL TEAMS SLUMP: The Heat have now scored a power play goal in just one of their last seven games, while the penalty kill has been beaten seven times in the last three contests. Abbotsford went without a goal on five power plays, while the penalty kill was 5/8 on Friday night. It was better than the stats would indicate though, as one of the power play goals against came down 5-on-3 on a back door pass, another was a lucky pinball goal that bounced off the end wall, then a defender and then back into the Heat net. Horseshoes.

3. BEING BLANKED: The Heat have scored six goals in the last five games, and have been shutout three times over that stretch. Leland Irving – who got the hook after two goals on four shots – has gotten the worst of the ‘run support’ this season having five of his eleven starts finish without a Heat goal. Back-to-back shutouts have the Heat out of a playoff spot for the first time all season. It’s always darkest before dawn, let’s hope the Heat can turn the corner soon.

Boxscore

Highlights, Images, Video and Audio at AbbotsfordHeat.com/media

Photo Credit: Micheline Veluvolu/Rochester Americans

1. EASY MAC: Drew MacKenzie has made things look pretty easy since arriving from Utah. The rookie defender from the University of Vermont potted his first AHL goal on a bank shot that went off the end glass, the top of the net, the back of David Leggio and into the net. It was a huge goal that tied the game, forced overtime and gave the Heat a point on the night. MacKenzie led all players with over ten minutes of ice-time in the first period (there were three power plays) and was called the club’s top offensive D-man by Head Coach Troy G. Ward earlier in the day.

2. COMEBACK KIDS: A two-goal deficit after 20 minutes isn’t easy to recover from. Nevermind when it’s the third game in less than 50 hours, on the road against a playoff-caliber club. The Heat kept chipping away in the final forty minutes and Danny Taylor barred the door the rest of the way. If not for some huge saves by David Leggio late – including a highlight reel dangle between three Amerks by Sven Baertschi in his first game back – the Heat might have even won the game in regulation. Leggio finished 77/79 against the Heat on the weekend.

3. COAST-TO-COAST AKIM: Akim Aliu scored for the second straight night and it was one of the nicest goals of the season for the Heat. Aliu got to a loose puck off a defensive zone faceoff, and turned on the jets, darting around the Rochester defence and in on a breakaway where he roofed his third goal of the season… Gorgeous.

Boxscore

Highlights, Images, Video and Audio at AbbotsfordHeat.com/media

FRIDAY MARCH 8 – 4:05 PM PST @ ROCHESTER AMERICANS
SATURDAY MARCH 9 – NOON PST @ TORONTO MARLIES
SUNDAY MARCH 10 – 2:05 PM PST @ ROCHESTER AMERICANS

Streaming: TeamRadio.ca – Friday, Saturday & Sunday
*Pre-Game Show begins 15 minutes prior puck-drop

The Abbotsford Heat continue their longest road trip of the season this weekend with three games in three days. The Heat play the Rochester Americans (AHL affiliate of the Buffalo Sabres) on Friday night and Sunday afternoon at the Blue Cross Arena and face the Toronto Marlies (AHL affiliate of the Toronto Maple Leafs) at the Ricoh Coliseum for a Saturday matinee.

The Heat are in the thick of a four-way battle for the North Division lead. The Marlies currently hold the division lead with 66 points through 55 games, while the Heat have 62 points through 59 games and hold the eighth and final playoff position in the Western Conference. The Americans are just a single point behind the Heat with five games in hand. Also in the mix in the North Division are the seventh place Lake Erie Monsters with 63 points in 59 games.

The Heat and the Americans close out their eight-game season series this weekend with each team having won three of the previous games and the Heat holding one more point in the season series due to a point earned in a shootout loss in Rochester on December 11th. The Heat have faced the Marlies just four times this season and have won three of the games against their 2012 Calder Cup second round opponents.

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