By Nathan Hutton (Contributor) – Email
Print Edition: Online Only
Tuesday and Wednesday this week saw the Abbotsford Heat extend their winning ways with back to back games against the struggling San Antonio Rampage. The cellar dwelling Rampage, who enjoy professional affiliation with the Florida Panthers of the NHL, are, currently 14th in the western conference; only one position ahead of the Canucks farm team, the Utica Comets.
In the first game of the double header the Heat hung on for a close 2-1 win. Both teams played smart, quick, and chippy hockey. Both Blair Jones and Markus Granland scored for the Heat registering their fourth and third goals of the season respectively. Heat goalie Joni Ortio was named the first star of the game after his 23 save performance, allowing only one goal against.
The second game was another close affair between the two clubs as neither squad seemed to enter the game with a lot of energy. The first period was highlighted by an early fight between the Heat’s Dean Arsene and the Rampage’s Eric Selleck, which sparked some energy into the small crowd but failed to ignite either roster. The Rampage were in the middle of a four game road swing while the Heat were playing their fourth game in six nights; both teams looked exhausted.
At the 12:38 mark of the first period the Heat were able to liven up the crowd by scoring on just their fourth shot of the game. It was after the Heat had just dumped the puck into the Rampage zone and began a line change. As the Rampage trailed back to retrieve the puck both Ben Street and Blair Jones of the Heat took chase and forced a Rampage turnover. The puck somehow found its way onto the stick of Jones who roofed his shot towards the right upper corner. The rebound landed squarely on the stick of Street who jammed home his third of the season to open up the scoring.
The rest of the first period continued much like it had started, with both teams playing lackluster hockey.
The first period was also marred with some poor mental mistakes leading to missed opportunities for the Heat, including a bad boarding penalty to Mark Cundari fifty-one seconds into a power play which halted the best looking shift of the first period for the Heat.
The second period provided a little more genuine entertainment. The teams traded chances with some excellent end to end action. Both goaltenders were clearly on their games as each of them were the best players on their teams during the second period. The Heat made their best mark of the second period two and half minutes into the middle frame by means of a beautiful goal from Ben Hanowski right through the five hole of Rampage goalie Dov Grumet-Morris. It was Hanowski’s fifth goal and his ninth point of the young season.
However the second period wasn’t all smiles for the Heat as twelve minutes into the second the Rampage registered their first of the game as Garret Wilson tipped in a point shot from defenseman Alex Petrovic keeping the Rampage within clawing distance.
The third period improved upon the intensity of the second. Close games will bring out the best in professional athletes and the third period was by far the best period of hockey. Both teams played hard-checking aggressive hockey on both ends of the ice. Late in the third period, with the Rampage applying unrelenting offensive zone pressure, the tired Abbotsford squad seemed unable to clear the puck. Forward Bobby Butler intercepted a clearing attempt and quickly buried the puck behind Heat goaltender Joey MacDonald.
The ensuing four minutes of the third period and the overtime session did little to solve the tie between the two teams, which meant a shootout was imminent.
It was at this point in the game that the Heat looked most solid. Goaltender Joey MacDonald, recently sent down from the Calgary flames, stopped four straight attempts from the Rampage, and Heat forwards Ben Street and Blair Jones both scored on their attempts, earning the Heat an extremely hard fought victory
“I thought Joey Mac[Donald] was great,” said Head Coach Troy G. Ward of the game’s first star, “I thought Joey handled himself really, really well especially at the start where he didn’t see a lot of shots through the first eighteen, fifteen minutes.”
MacDonald made himself available at the end of the game and commented upon his recent change of scenario “It felt good! It is always different when you come down, [it’s] a different tempo and getting to know the guys, know your D communication and everything you kind of just get thrown into it.”
The Heat, who are now in sole possession of first place in the Western Conference with 19 points, look to continue their winning ways with another back to back this weekend as the Toronto Marlies come to town. The Heat will be looking to extend their win streak to six and possibly seven games as the face off against the third-place Marlies squad.
