February 01, 2014 - 9:46 PM
ABBOTSFORD, B.C. - Joni Ortio made 26 saves as the Abbotsford Heat defeated the Hamilton Bulldogs 4-1 in American Hockey League action on Saturday night.
The 23-year-old Ortio picked up his 19th win of the year, one off the league lead, though Hamilton snapped his shutout streak at 107 minutes and 41 seconds.
Markus Granlund had a goal and an assist for Abbotsford (28-14-4), who are 3-0-2 in their past five. Max Reinhart, Josh Jooris and Derek Smith also scored.
Stefan Fournier scored for Hamilton (20-20-4). The Bulldogs have just one win in their past six games and scored just three goals in those five losses.
Robert Mayer made 26 saves in the loss.
Reinhart opened the scoring at the 7:56 mark of the first on the power play. Markus Granlund crept to the right face-off dot to release a hard wrist shot and Reinhart was there to quickly bag the rebound for his 10th of the year.
Jooris doubled the lead with 42 seconds to go in the first. Sven Baertschi was checked off the puck in the high slot, but Jooris pounced on it and beat Mayer with a deke move for his sixth goal of the season.
Granlund made it 3-0 at 3:33 of the third on a short-handed goal. Carter Bancks chipped the puck to himself, creating a 2-on-1 rush with Granlund and the Finnish forward backhanded the Bancks' saucer pass past an outstretched Mayer.
The Bulldogs solved Ortio at 7:41 of the third as Greg Pateryn's shot was deflected by Fournier for just his second goal of the year.
Smith floated a shot from centre into the empty net with 45 seconds to play to round out the scoring.
The Bulldogs' power play unit, third-worst in the AHL, has been held scoreless in its last 32 attempts.
News from © The Canadian Press, 2014