Mike Zigomanis scored on a power play 9:02 into overtime as the Toronto Marlies advanced to the Western Conference Finals with a 3-2 win over the Abbotsford Heat on Wednesday night.
The Marlies won four straight games, including all three in Abbotsford, after losing Game 1.
The winning goal came 12 seconds into a man advantage created when Zigomanis was caught by a high stick from Heat forward Hugh Jessiman.
Paul Byron opened the Game 5 scoring with a shorthanded goal just 3:03 into the contest, and Krys Kolanos — scratched from the Abbotsford lineup in Game 4 — gave the Heat a 2-0 lead at the 13:30 mark of the first period.
Jake Gardiner got the Marlies on the board with his first career playoff goal, and Matt Frattin scored his fourth goal of the series and fifth of the postseason with 2:00 remaining in the second period to tie the game at 2-2.
Ben Scrivens made 29 saves on the night, finishing the series with seven goals allowed on 154 shots (4-1, 1.37, .955).
Danny Taylor stopped 33 shots in the loss for the Heat, who had not lost four games in a row all season before now.
Toronto, into the conference finals for the second team in five years, awaits the winner of the other West semifinal series between #1 Oklahoma City and #6 San Antonio
Western Conference Semifinals – Series “L” (best-of-7)
2-Toronto Marlies vs. 4-Abbotsford Heat
Game 1 – Tue., May 1 – Abbotsford 3, TORONTO 1
Game 2 – Thurs., May 3 – TORONTO 5, Abbotsford 1
Game 3 – Sat., May 5 – Toronto 4, ABBOTSFORD 1
Game 4 – Tue., May 8 – Toronto 3, ABBOTSFORD 1
Game 5 – Wed., May 9 – Toronto 3, ABBOTSFORD 2 (OT).
