Following the Christmas break, the Heat return home to take on the Oklahoma Barons who sit third in the Division, two spots behind the Heat.
When the Barons played last season, it was with the rookies from the parent team, the Edmonton Oilers and with the stars they drew a huge fan base to the ASEC.
This contest once again welcome the Legends of Hockey stars to the ASEC and tonight is no exception as they have Grant Fuhr who is a six time NHL All-Star, five time Stanley Cup winner, winner of the Vezina Trophy (1988) the William Jennings Trophy in 1994.
The Heat are the AHL’s top road team managed to grab a third period comeback managing to collect their 12th win away from home in the Steel town.
It was however a shootout win against Montreal’s farm team, the Hamilton Bulldogs who sit 4th in the Western Conference.
While some teams in various leagues are having a problem finding a solution to managing a win in a shootout, the Heat have found magic. They are currently tied with San Antonio for the most wins in the Western Conference.
They did lose the first shootout dating back to October 12th, but since then have won the last four.
During this period the “tenders” have a combined 9 out of 14, while Ortio and MacDonald have stopped 15 of 16 shooters.
Returning home is former Vancouver Giants player David Musil a Canadian-Czech player currently playing for the Oklahoma City.
He was a first round draft pick, selected 12th overall by SKA Saint Petersburg, in the 2010 KHL Junior Draft.
Earlier this year he was sent to Bakersfield of the ECHL, then recalled to the Barons November 4th. He has hopes of returning back to the Oilers, should his season, go the way he wants it to.
July 4th, 2012 he signed by the Edmonton Oilers to a three-year entry-level contract. While he is content at playing for the Barons, he tells me “he is working extremely hard to develop his speed and skills more in his own zone.
Ben Street (4 assists) and Max Reinhart (2 goals, 1 assist) led the way for Abbotsford, combining for seven points on the night. Ben Hanowski and Corban Knight were also central to Abbotsford’s strong outing, each with a goal and an assist.
The Heat’s Hanowski opened the scoring at 4:04 in the first period with an assist going to Knight.
Not to be outdone, Knight while on the PP at 9:42 moved the Heat up 2-0 and was set up by Hanowski and Street.
Shots after the first saw the Heat outshoot the Barons 13-11.
Reinhart extended Abbotsford’s lead to 3-0 at 1:04 in the second, after taking a cross ice pass from Ben Street.
Reinhart got his second of the game making it 4-0 Abbotsford at 12:16 with the lone assist going to Street.
That rounded out the scoring for the second with Heat “tender” Joni Ortio stopping all 21 shots through 40 minutes.
C.J. Strech got a PP marker for the Barons at 6:10 in the third period, but with the Heat pressing, Jooris regained the four goal lead at 16:33 assisted by Reinhart and Street.
Abbotsford was 1-3 on the PP, and killed off four of the five Oklahoma City man advantages.
Joni Ortio stopped 32 of 33
