Wolves End Skid With 3-2 Win Over Heat
ABBOTSFORD, B.C.--- The Chicago Wolves used two-goals by center Steve Reinprecht and a 33-save performance by goaltender Matt Climie to earn a 3-2 win over the Abbotsford Heat Tuesday night at the Abbotsford Entertainment and Sports Centre.
Right wing Mark Mancari added a goal and two assists for Chicago, which snapped a four-game losing streak with the victory.
Chicago (22-16-1-3) opened scoring 8:53 into the game with Reinprecht's first tally of the night. Mancari sent a pass from the far point to forward Anton Rodin in the slot who dropped a touch pass to Reinprecht who snapped a shot past Abbotsford goaltender Danny Taylor.
The Wolves doubled their lead with just 1:47 remaining in the opening frame. Mancari walked into the far circle and fired a shot that Taylor got a piece of but the puck laid in the crease and Reinprecht tapped home the puck into the empty net.
Chicago inched ahead 3-0 when forward Tim Miller dropped a pass to Mancari in the near circle who wristed a shot over the stick of Taylor at 4:06 of the second period.
Taylor (14-10-0) posted 29 saves.
Abbotsford (25-15-3-0) broke Climie's (13-6-0) shutout bid at 13:23 of the third period. Krys Kolanos' shot hit off the back-boards and bounced to center Ben Walter at the side of the net who buried home the loose puck into an empty net.
The Heat closed to within 3-2 with 4:37 remaining in the game when left wing Carter Bancks stripped a Wolves defender in front of the net and shot of a quick wrister past Climie.
The Wolves and Heat will face-off in a rematch at 9 p.m. Wednesday night at the Abbotsford Entertainment and Sports Centre.
Chicago 2 1 0 -- 3
Abbotsford 0 0 2 -- 2
First Period---1, Chicago, Reinprecht 5 (Rodin, Mancari), 8:53; 2, Chicago, Reinprecht 6 (Mancari, Rodin), 18:13. Penalties---Piskula, Abbotsford (tripping), 10:12; Matheson, Chicago (hooking), 15:54; Polasek, Chicago (fighting), 18:39; Letourneau-Leblond, Abbotsford (fighting), 18:39.
Second Period---3, Chicago, Mancari 17 (Miller, Climie), 4:06. Penalties---Bitz, Chicago (hooking), 0:40; Haydar, Chicago (tripping), 6:42; Baumgartner, Chicago (unsportsmanlike conduct), 8:40; Kolanos, Abbotsford (boarding major), 8:40; Matheson, Chicago (holding), 13:06; Mancari, Chicago (misconduct), 16:48; Letourneau-Leblond, Abbotsford (misconduct), 16:48.
Third Period---4, Abbotsford, Walter 7 (Kolanos, Wilson), 13:23 pp; 5, Abbotsford, Bancks 2 (unassisted), 15:23. Penalties---Desbiens, Abbotsford (interfernce), 7:11; Martin, Abbotsford (boarding), 9:31; Wilson, Abbotsford (slashing), 10:49; Mancari (roughing), 11:26; Bancks, Abbotsford (unsportsmanlike conduct), 11:26; Roussel, Chicago (double-minor high-sticking), 18:24.
Shots on goal---Chicago: 14-8-10--32. Abbotsford: 7-18-10--35. Power plays---Chicago: 0-5. Abbotsford: 1-6. Goalies--Chicago, Climie (33-35). Abbotsford, Taylor (29-32). A---5,000. Referee---Trent Knorr and Marcus Vinnerborg. Linesmen---Keil Murchison and Chris Carlson.
