[GDT] Heat vs Comets - March 28th & March 29th @ 5:00pm MST

[Drury18]

Abbotsford Heat (35-24-5-2) vs Utica Comets (Vancouver Canucks) (29-28-3-4)

Friday March 28th @ 5:00pm MST
Saturday March 29th @ 5:00pm MST

Notes:

• Final 2 games in the LONG 12 game series between the Heat and Comets
• Comets lead the season series 7-2-1-0
• Comets have outscored the Heat 30-23 in the last 10 games
• There was no further discipline to Max Reinhart or Shane O'Brien after the misconducts during Sunday's game vs Marlies

Standings:

• 2nd in the West Division (16 pts behind the Stars, 6 pts ahead of the Checkers)
• 5th in the Western Conference (16 pts behind the Stars, 7pts behind 4th place Wolves)
• Heat's "magic number" to clinch a playoff spot is 13 (13 points needed in the last 14 games)
• 5th in the AHL on the PP (21.5%) - Up one spot from last week
• 26th in the AHL on the PK (79.1%) - Up one spot from last week

Roster Notes

• DEL – Dell (Released), Connolly (Alaska)
• ADD – Ortio
• On Flames Roster – Hanowski, Granlund (IR - skating on his own), Wotherspoon (he's an NHL'er now), MacDonald

Point Streaks and Notables:

• Reinhart - 4g, 4a in 8 games
• Locke - 2g, 15a in 19 games
• Smith - 1g, 5a in 5 games
• Street - 2g, 1a in 4 games
• Baertschi - 4g, 4a in 7 games
• Granlund - 7g, 9a in last 12 games (recalled)

Injuries:

• Michael Ferland (Knee) – Out for Season
• Patrick Sieloff (Infection) – Unknown
• Adrian Foster (Lower Body) – Week to Week
• Trevor Gillies (Upper Body) – Day to Day
• Blair Jones (Unknown) – Out (Did not make trip)

Preview from Abbotsford Heat Website: http://www.abbotsfordheat.com/news/?article_id=825

Listen Live : http://www.teamradio.ca/abbotsford-heat/

Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AHLHeatInGame

[Drury18]

Notes from Brandon Astle about whose in/out:

Brandon Astle ‏@brandon_astle 14m
Notes: McPherson gets into his 1st career pro game. Hathaway stays in as well. Arsene is back in. Davies comes out. Corrado recalled by Van

[Drury18]

Few more notes:

Brandon Astle ‏@brandon_astle 30m
Allan McPherson getting a shot tonight with Baertschi and Locke. Not a bad pair to open your professional career with. @ClarksonHockey

Brandon Astle ‏@brandon_astle 37m
It's Ortio vs. Eriksson tonight. Eriksson is 5-2 vs. Abby this year. Comets without Ferriero & Stuart. Both Expected to be out long term.

[Drury18]

Starting Lineup:

Ortio
Breen-LaFranchise
Reinhart-Street-Jooris

Missed the scratches tonight and coaches comment.

Puck has dropped for the 1st.

[Drury18]

Seems to be some sort of problem at the rink so there is a slight game delay

Edit: Was only an ice problem, fixed up very quickly.

[Drury18]

Heat take the first penalty. Baertschi gets 2 for interference off the faceoff.

[Drury18]

Ortio already coming up huge with a couple saves on the Comets. Heat's D needs to wake up a little bit.

[Drury18]

Comets take a slashing call and Heat get their first PP of the game

(This was more fun when there was a group of us posting)

[Drury18]

Comets Goal - Friesen - Shorthanded

0-1 Heat

[Drury18]

Breen and Street with good chances as the Heat have started to pick up their game.

Ortio still coming up with huge saves.

[Drury18]

Heat going to their 2nd PP of the game. Archibald off for elbowing.

[Drury18]

End of 1st Period

0-1 Comets

Shots on Goal: 17-9 Comets

[Drury18]

Puck has dropped for the 2nd and Arsene takes an early penalty.

[Drury18]

More delays due to building issues.

[Drury18]

Ortio again holding the Heat into this game. He's been busy in the 2nd.

[Drury18]

HEAT GOAL!

Buzzer Goal

Street shot with .1 on the clock off Baertschi's skate. No call on ice. Going to time keepers table.

[Drury18]

IT'S A GOAL!

HEAT GOAL!

Baertschi

Assist to Street

1-1 Heat

EDIT: SOB given the 2nd assist
EDIT EDIT: SOB assist given to Smith

[Drury18]

End of 2nd Period

1-1

Shots on Goal: 31-16 Comets

[Vulcan]

Baertschi has looked pretty good in this game.

[Drury18]

They are interviewing Baertschi's old Portland coach Travis Green and he said after knowing him for so long and watching him, he's confident that he will come out of his slump okay.

Says that his age is probably the biggest factor to his problems. He's a young guy, he's making young guy mistakes.

Says his skill and love of the game and competitive drive will eventually kick him back into gear.