December 07, 2013 - 9:47 PM
ABBOTSFORD, B.C. - Mark Cundari scored the eventual winner and had an assist as the Abbotsford Heat defeated the visiting San Antonio Rampage 5-2 in American Hockey League action Saturday.
Cundari's power-play goal at 9:49 of the third period put Abbotsford (19-6-2) ahead for good while Ben Street, Ben Hanowski, Markus Granlund and Max Reinhart also scored. Brett Olson chipped in with two assists.
John Matsumoto and Bobby Butler replied for San Antonio (10-12-2).
Joni Ortio stopped 28 shots for the Heat while Dov Grumet-Morris made 21 saves for the Rampage.
The Heat drew first blood with a power play goal at 8:42.
Cundari's point shot was stopped by Grumet-Morris but Hanowski was there to jam the puck past the sprawling goalie for his ninth of the season.
The Rampage tied the game with a power-play goal of their own. While failing to get much in the way of chances on a two-man advantage, they scored just after the initial penalty expired. Denny Urban fed it down low to Joey Crabb at the side of the net, who quickly fed a cross-crease pass to Matsumoto at the far post. The Ottawa native waited for Ortio to go down before roofing the puck for his fifth goal of the year.
Street put the Heat back on top with only 28 seconds to play in the second period after taking a chip pass from Max Reinhart in full stride and quickly firing the rolling puck past Grumet-Morris.
Cundari gave the Heat a two-goal cushion with a one-timer from the point that beat Grumet-Morris through the five-hole.
Butler beat Ortio top corner from the top of the circle with under four minutes remaining to bring the Rampage within one goal.
Granlund picked up his 10th of the season with 1:36 to play, extending his point streak to nine games. Reinhart added an empty netter for his fifth of the year.
News from © The Canadian Press, 2013