ABBOTSFORD 2, MANITOBA 1
David Van der Gulik broke a 1-1 tie with 6:09 left in regulation, and Abbotsford held on for a 2-1 win over Manitoba on Tuesday night, earning the Heat a split of the teams’ two-game midweek set at the Entertainment & Sports Centre.
It marked a key victory for the Heat, who snapped a five-game winless slide (0-4-1-0) and moved three points up on Manitoba for third place in the North Division.
Abbotsford now sits two points back of Rochester for second place and home-ice advantage in the first round of the Calder Cup Playoffs.
Keith Seabrook and captain Garth Murray earned assists on the game-winner from Van der Gulik, who snapped a six-game goal-scoring drought.
Jon Rheault put the Heat on top with a power play goal late in the first period, but the Moose knotted it up midway through the second period on Marco Rosa’s team-leading 22nd goal of the season, also with the man advantage.
Heat goaltender David Shantz picked up the victory with 19 saves between the pipes, while Manitoba’s Cory Schneider took the tough-luck loss after making 41 stops on 43 shots.
