The Abbotsford Heat scored two power play goals in a 33 second span early in the first period and cruised to a relatively easy 5-1 win over the Hamilton Bulldogs Friday night in Abbotsford B.C..

Quintin Laing, Roman Horak and Steve McCarthy also scored for the Heat, a Calgary Flames affiliate.  The Bulldogs only goal was scored by Gabriel Dumont shorthanded in the third period.

Ben Street scored on a 5-on-3 power play to get the Heat started and 33 seconds later with Mike Commodore still in the penalty box Ben Walter made it 2-0 which was more than enough against the confidence-shaken Bulldogs.  (Box Score & Hamilton Scoring Team Statistics Below)

There are many reasons for the fact Hamilton has lost seven of the last nine games and three in a row, the most obvious of which is their play on special teams.  The Bulldogs have the worst power play in the AHL at just over 8% and their penalty killers gave up four Abbotsford goals on nine Abbotsford opportunities.  Newcomer Mike Commodore was in the penalty box for two of their four power play goals.

Robert Mayer was in the Hamilton nets.  The Bulldogs were outshot 28-16.

The teams will meet again Saturday night in Hamilton.

Notes –

……The Bulldogs gave up the first goal for an unlikely 15^th consecutive game. They have lost eleven of those games (4-9-2).

……C-Louis Leblanc returned to the lineup after missing Sunday’s game against Lake Erie. He had missed 11 of the last 12 games with a high ankle sprain.

……Veteran defenseman Mike Commodore and forward Stefan Chaput played their first games with the Bulldogs.  Chaput was called up from the ECHL Wheeling Nailers earlier in the week.

……Hamilton roster moves – Injuries D-Greg Pateryn; C-Blake Geoffrion (skull fracture), C-Joonas Nattinen (upper body).  LW-Alexander Avtsin (personal).  Healthy scratches – D-Antoine Corbin, D-Brendon Nash, LW-Alain Berger..

……Forward Alexander Avtsin is in Montreal where his wife is giving birth to the couples’ first child.

……One of the Canadiens top prospects, Patrick Holland was shifted to the Bulldogs fourth line with Kyle Hagel and Zack Stortini.  While Holland does a lot of subtle things well, it’s been 15 games since he has scored a goal.

……Canadiens Hall of Famer Yvan Cournoyer took part in the ceremonial face-off prior to the game.

Hamilton Bulldogs 1 at Abbotsford Heat 5 
Friday, November 30, 2012 – Abbotsford Entertainment & Sports Centre

Hamilton 0 0 1 – 1
Abbotsford 2 2 1 – 5

1st Period-

1, Abbotsford, Street 5 (Baertschi, Byron), 6:50 (PP).

2, Abbotsford, Walter 4 (Brodie), 7:22 (PP).

Penalties-Stortini Ham (high-sticking), 5:38; Commodore Ham (boarding), 6:11; Stejskal Ham (cross-checking), 9:29; Piskula Abb (interference), 12:19; Olson Abb (tripping), 17:32; Chaput Ham (cross-checking), 18:26.

2nd Period-

3, Abbotsford, Laing 4 (Olson, Street), 4:03. 4, Abbotsford, Horak 11 (Brodie, Walter), 8:12 (PP). Penalties-Walter Abb (hooking), 5:25; Quailer Ham (interference), 6:58; Hagel Ham (slashing), 9:36; Brodie Abb (high-sticking), 16:49; Boyce Ham (roughing), 19:41; Commodore Ham (roughing), 19:41; Olson Abb (roughing), 19:41.

3rd Period-

5, Hamilton, Dumont 3   3:42 (SH).

6, Abbotsford, McCarthy 2 (Sylvester), 6:34 (PP).

Penalties-Chaput Ham (unsportsmanlike conduct), 2:14; Callahan Abb (hooking), 2:41; Commodore Ham (tripping, unsportsmanlike conduct), 3:13; Dumont Ham (slashing), 19:25; Brust Abb (roughing), 19:25.

Shots on Goal-Hamilton 3-5-8-16. Abbotsford 8-9-11-28.
Power Play Opportunities-Hamilton 0 / 4; Abbotsford 4 / 9.
Goalies-Hamilton, Mayer 4-7-1 (28 shots-23 saves). Abbotsford, Brust 6-0-0 (16 shots-15 saves).
A-5,145
Referees-Brett Iverson (51), Mark Lemelin (41).
Linesmen-Justin Hull (68), Nathan Vanoosten (96).

Hamilton Bulldogs 2012-13 Individual Stats

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