(CP) — Nazem Kadri and Matt Frattin each scored in the first period and the Toronto Marlies held on for a 4-1 victory over the Abbotsford Heat on Saturday night in American Hockey League playoff action.
Ben Scrivens made 20 saves as Toronto pulled ahead 2-1 in the best-of-seven Western Conference semifinal series.
Phillippe Dupuis and Marcel Mueller each had a goal and an assist for the Marlies, while Nicolas Deschamps added three assists.
Dustin Sylvester scored for Abbotsford.
Leland Irving made 22 saves for the Heat in his first start since the regular season finale. Danny Taylor was on extended winning streak prior to Thursday’s loss for the Heat.
Toronto opened the scoring just a minute into the game with a Kadri wraparound to give him three playoff goals.
Frattin made it 2-0 at 11:43, stealing the puck near centre and beating Irving for his fourth of the post-season.
Frattin has scored in each game of the series.
The Heat got on the board early in the second frame when Sylvester deflected a Clay Wilson point shot for his third of the playoffs at 2:21.
Ten minutes later Dupuis put the puck through Irving’s legs from the side of the net and it slowly made its way across the goal line.
Irving struggled much of the night, fighting off a lot of pucks, but made a stellar breakaway save off of Greg Scott to keep his team within two.
However, with just over five minutes to go in the game Dupuis set up Mueller who finished off a give-and-go at 14:46.
Abbotsford finished 0-for-4 on the power play and are now 0-for-16 in the series. Toronto didn’t fare any better Saturday, though, going 0-for-6.
Game 4 is Tuesday at the Abbotsford Entertainment and Sports Centre (10:00 ET, AHL Live).
