By Mike Cadarette (Contributor) – Email
The Abbotsford Heat and Chicago Wolves faced off this weekend in a battle between two undefeated teams in the Western Conference – a back-to-back series that had the AESC at near capacity attendance.
The Heat came into the weekend having won two games one week prior in dominating fashion against the Peoria Rivermen. However, Friday proved to be tougher competition for the Heat as Zack Kassian and the Chicago Wolves won in a shootout 3-2.
After a tight checking first period, the Wolves opened the scoring with a goal from bruising power forward Zack Kassian. Only seconds later the Wolves would have a goal called off after Steve Pinizzotto hit the puck out of the air with a high stick.
Just when it appeared the Wolves’ relentless forechecking pressure was too much for the Heat, Tyler Ruegsegger scored on a tipped point shot from Krys Kolanos on the powerplay.
Two minutes later the Wolves would respond with a goal from Nathan Longpre to put Chicago up 2-1 early in the third period.
The Abbotsford Heat would come from behind yet again after Czech-native Roman Horak scored his third of the year in as many games 5:02 into the third period on a crisp pass from veteran Ben Walter.
With only minutes left in the third period, Wolves goaltender Eddie Lack would stand tall for his team after he stopped the Heat’s Sven Baertschi and Roman Horak on a breakaway.
The overtime period solved nothing, so the two teams went to a shootout, the second shootout of the year for the Wolves and the first for the Heat. Heat goalie Danny Taylor struggled in the shootout allowing three goals from Jordan Schroeder, Darren Haydar, and Zack Kassian. The three Heat shooters could not beat Lack.
However, Taylor’s teammates were quick to thank him for his remarkable play during the game. “He kept us in it for the first two periods,” said Ben Walter, “we owe that point to him.”
On Saturday, the Wolves came out of the gate with as much jump as they had when they left the previous night. However, the Heat would get the win in a resilient 4-1 come-from-behind victory.
Just over a minute into the start of the game, former Heat forward Guillaume Desbiens would take a goaltender interference call that nullified a Wolves goal early.
The Wolves would get it back however after Zack Kassian scored on a beautiful wrist shot that beat Heat goalie Barry Brust top corner.
Towards the end of the first period Heat defenseman Zack McKelvie and Zack Kassian dropped the gloves, but each fell to the ice before any fisticuffs could materialize.
5:10 into the second period, Heat spark plug Carter Bancks would capitalize on a careless mistake from Eddie Lack. Lack left his crease to the top of the faceoff circle to play a loose puck, but would accidentally turn it over to Adam Estoclet who found Bancks wide open to score the equalizer.
Two minutes later, Bancks and Alex Mallett would drop the gloves in a fight that saw Bancks come away with a swollen left eye. “For not a big guy, he’s got a lot of heart and a lot of character,” explained Ward, “it’s an emotional lift for our team.”
With seven minutes left in the second period another fight would develop, this time between six-foot-seven Heat defender Chris Breen and tough guy Steve Pinizzotto. Chris Breen’s reach advantage gave him the edge as he got several good shots in on Pinizzotto in front of the Wolves bench.
With only seconds left in the second period, Barry Brust left his crease to retrieve the puck, but instead would nail a the retrieving Wolves player with a monstrous hit to end the period tied at 1-1.
The deadlocked game did not last long, however. Midway through the third period, Dustin Sylvester would put the Heat ahead 2-1. That goal would break the Chicago Wolves streak of having not trailed in a game yet this season.
Sylvester’s goal would trigger a flurry of Heat offense in the third period with a goal from Swiss sniper Sven Baertschi and a powerplay goal from Roman Horak. The Heat finished the game with a season high 41 shots on Eddie Lack.
The Heat take a trip east next weekend for back-to-back-to-back road games against the Lake Erie Monsters on October 26 and 27 and against the Hamilton Bulldogs on October 28.
