2013–14 Abbotsford Heat season

2013–14 Abbotsford Heat
Division 2nd West Division
Conference 5th Western Conference
League 5th AHL
2013–14 record 43–25–5–3 (94 pts)
Home record 20–11–4–3
Road record 23–14–1–0
Goals for 237
Goals against 215
Team information
General Manager Ryan Walter
Coach Troy Ward
Assistant Coach Robbie Ftorek
Captain Dean Arsene
Arena Abbotsford Entertainment & Sports Centre
Average attendance 3,007
Team leaders
Goals Ben Street (28)
Assists Max Reinhart (42)
Points Max Reinhart (63)
Penalties in minutes Josh Jooris (67)
Plus/minus Tyler Wotherspoon (+12)
Wins Joni Ortio (27)
Goals against average Doug Carr (1.92)
< 2012–13 2014–15 >

The 2013–14 Abbotsford Heat season was the American Hockey League franchise's fifth and final season in the city of Abbotsford, British Columbia.

Off season

After a year in the North Division, the Abbotsford Heat was moved to the newly renamed West Division, formerly the South Division, under an American Hockey League realignment in the summer of 2013.[1] The team lost their top leading scorers from the previous season in centers Ben Walter and Krys Kolanos, as well as forwards Dustin Sylvester,[2] Roman Horák,[3] and Tyler Ruegsegger,;[4] defenseman Mike Matczak,[5] and goaltender Leland Irving.[6] Fourteen players from the previous season returned to the Abbotsford lineup for 2013–14, but the new roster also included a great deal of new young players.[2][7] Newcomers included forwards Steve Bégin, Markus Granlund, Josh Jooris,[8] Michael Ferland, Corban Knight,[9] and Ben Hanowski;[10] goaltenders Laurent Brossoit and Joni Ortio;[10] and defensemen Chad Billins, John Ramage, Tyler Wotherspoon,[8] Dean Arsene,[11] and Pat Sieloff, who at 19 was youngest player in AHL at that time.[7] Coach Troy Ward felt the team had good enthusiasm, pacing, discipline and puck management, and that with few veteran players, the entire team would have to put forward an equal effort.[7]

Defenseman Mark Cundari and centers Greg Nemisz and Paul Byron were re-signed in the off-season,[11] but winger Ryan Howse was suspended by the Calgary Flames organization for failing to report to training camp.[12] The ECHL’s Alaska Aces signed a one-year contract affiliating themselves with Calgary and Abbotsford during the off-season,[13] and Brandon Astle named the Heat’s new play-by-play broadcaster and media relations coordinator after having spent five seasons with the Langley Rivermen of the British Columbia Hockey League.[14] After starting their training camp on September 20,[15] Abbotsford played a single preseason game on October 22, winning 5–2 against the Utica Comets after Brett Olson opened the scoring in the first 94 seconds. Hanowski scored two goals and an assist, while Olson also recorded two assists. The game included seven fights and a total of 104 penalty minutes distributed.[16][17]

2013–14 Preseason Game Log: 0–1–0–0
# Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Record
1 September 27 Utica 2–5 Abbotsford Ortio 0–1–0–0

Regular season

October

The Heat opened the season by splitting a pair of games against the Lake Erie Monsters on October 4 and 5, winning the first game after scoring three goals in seven minutes. Hanowski scored twice, and goaltender Reto Berra stopped 31 shots in his North American debut.[18][19] Abbotsford lost the second match-up 3–2 in a game that included four fights and 74 penalty minutes.[7] The Heat next split a pair of home games against the Milwaukee Admirals, winning their home opener in overtime on October 11,[20] and losing the next day in a shootout where no Abbotsford skaters scored and Berra gave up two of four Milwaukee shots.[21] The Heat started a three-game road trip with a 4–3 loss to the Oklahoma City Barons on October 18 after giving up a 4–0 lead in the first 24 minutes of the game.[22] Abbotsford played the Barons again the next day, winning 2–1 in a shootout after Berra made 29 saves and Byron tied the game with 37 seconds left in regulation and the goaltender pulled.[23]

The Heat suffered their worst loss of the season to date with a 9–3 loss to the Texas Stars after giving up eight unanswered goals, including six in the third period. Dallas winger Colton Sceviour scored a hat-trick against them.[24] After splitting two games against Lake Erie on October 25 and 26,[25] Abbotsford next went on a seven-game winning streak, tying a franchise record for consecutive wins,[26] starting with a 5–4 win against Utica on October 30 after Knight scored 3:30 into overtime.[27] After allowing three goals in nine shots in the first period, Berra was pulled from the net for Ortio, who stopped 17 of 18 shots.[28] Blair Jones' assist on the game-winner started a six-game point streak for the center.[29][30] Billins, who led the Heat in goal-scoring at five, was called up to Calgary after the month was out.[31]

November

Abbotsford started the month with a 4–3 win over Utica, with Jones scoring the game-winning breakaway goal with less than five minutes left in the game.[32] Berra was called up to the Flames on October 2, forcing the Heat to take the unusual step of signing David Harris, the forty-year-old goaltending coach of Ontario Junior Hockey League's Newmarket Hurricanes, to an emergency contract to serve as the Heat's back-up goalie for their game that night. Abbotsford won that game 3-2 against the Hamilton Bulldogs after Ortio made 35 saves and stopped all three shootout attempts. The Heat scored all three of their shootout shots from Granlund, Knight and Jones, who had also scored two regulation goals.[33] Afterward, Joey MacDonald, a veteran goaltender with experience in 129 NHL games, cleared waivers and joined the Abbotsford roster.[34] Abbotsford started a four-game homestead with a 2-1 win over the San Antonio Rampage on November 5, with Ortio getting his fourth straight win and Granlund scoring his third goal in four games.[35]

The Heat beat San Antonio again the next day, but the Rampage forced overtime after fighting back from a 2-0 deficit in the final six minutes of regulation. MacDonald, in his first start with the Heat, made 29 saves and stopped all four shootout shots, while Street and Jones scored in the shootout for Abbotsford.[34] Billins was returned to the Heat on November 9,[36] and recorded points in two consecutive wins over the Toronto Marlies on November 9 and 10.[26][37] Winger Michael Ferland scored his first two professional goals in the first game, a 4-3 victory,[37] and the Heat won the second game 6-3 after scoring three unanswered goals in the final period,[26] including a successful penalty shot by Granlund.[38]

Relocation

The 2013–14 season was the last season for the franchise to play in the British Columbia, as Abbotsford's city council announced that they had bought out the remaining years of the city's lease with the Flames for $5.5 million. With 3,007 fans per game, the Heat finished second-last in AHL attendance, and owing to a deal that guaranteed the Flames a minimum level of income, the team's attendance struggles cost the city $12 million total since the arrival of the Heat in 2009.[39]

On April 15, 2014, the city of Abbotsford terminated the contract with the Heat,[40] and on May 5, 2014 The AHL's Board of Governors announced their approval to relocate the team to Glens Falls, New York for the 2014–15 season to play as the Adirondack Flames.[41]

Standings

Divisional standings

    West Division[42] GP W L OTL SOL Pts GF GA
    1 Abbotsford Heat (CAL)* 21 15 5 0 1 31 72 62
    2 Texas Stars (DAL) 19 9 6 2 1 21 63 51
    3 San Antonio Rampage (FLA) 17 8 8 0 1 17 47 46
    4 Oklahoma City Barons (EDM) 17 7 8 0 2 16 41 52
    5 Charlotte Checkers (CAR) 16 5 10 0 1 11 39 53

    After games of November 20, 2013

    Conference standings

     y–  indicates team has clinched division and a playoff spot
     x–  indicates team has clinched a playoff spot
     e–  indicates team has been eliminated from playoff contention

      Western Conference[43] Div GP W L OTL SOL Pts GF GA
      1 *y– Texas Stars (DAL) WT 76 48 18 3 7 106 274 197
      2 *y– Chicago Wolves (STL) MW 76 45 21 5 5 100 239 191
      3 *y– Toronto Marlies (TOR) NT 76 45 25 2 4 96 223 202
      4 x– Grand Rapids Griffins (DET) MW 76 46 23 2 5 99 238 187
      5 x– Abbotsford Heat (CGY) WT 76 43 25 5 3 94 237 215
      6 x– Milwaukee Admirals (NSH) MW 76 39 24 6 7 91 215 199
      7 x– Rochester Americans (BUF) NT 76 37 28 6 5 85 216 217
      8 x– Oklahoma City Barons (EDM) WT 76 36 29 2 9 83 239 256
      9 e– Rockford IceHogs (CHI) MW 76 35 32 5 4 79 234 262
      10 e– Utica Comets (VAN) NT 76 35 32 5 4 79 187 216
      11 e– Charlotte Checkers (CAR) WT 76 37 36 1 2 77 228 241
      12 e– Lake Erie Monsters (COL) NT 76 32 33 1 10 75 197 232
      13 e– Hamilton Bulldogs (MTL) NT 76 33 35 1 7 74 182 224
      14 e– San Antonio Rampage (FLA) WT 76 30 37 3 6 69 206 235
      15 e– Iowa Wild (MIN) MW 76 27 36 7 6 67 169 235

      * = Division leaders are seeded 1, 2, and 3 in Conference standings.
      The top eight teams in each conference qualify for the playoffs.

      Schedule and results

      2013–14 Game Log – Regular season

      Legend:       Win (2 points)       Loss (0 points)       Overtime/shootout loss (1-point)

      Playoffs

      Game log

      The Abbotsford Heat entered the Calder Cup playoffs as the 5th seed in the Western Conference. They were eliminated during the WC Quarterfinals in Game 4 against the Grand Rapids Griffins.

      2014 Calder Cup Playoffs
      Legend:           = If needed           = Win           = Loss           = Playoff series win

      Player statistics

      Skaters

      Note: GP = Games Played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/− = Plus/Minus; PIM = Penalty Minutes
      Updated as of June 5, 2014[44]

      Regular Season
      Player GP G A Pts +/- PIM
      Reinhart, MaxMax Reinhart 66214263647
      Street, BenBen Street 58283058−10 24
      Knight, CorbanCorban Knight 701827451150
      Granlund, MarkusMarkus Granlund* 522521441022
      Olson, BrettBrett Olson 75172741838
      Billins, ChadChad Billins 65103141640
      Jones, BlairBlair Jones 38172138−8 47
      Hanowski, BenBen Hanowski* 55131831118
      Baertschi, SvenSven Baertschi 41131629118
      Jooris, JoshJosh Jooris* 73111627067
      Smith, DerekDerek Smith 3271724922
      Locke, CoreyCorey Locke 304192308
      Ferland, MichaelMichael Ferland* 2561218−4 31
      Byron, PaulPaul Byron 2351318104
      Lafranchise, KaneKane Lafranchise 3401313−1 2
      Bancks, CarterCarter Bancks 723811953
      Cundari, MarkMark Cundari 324610−1 45
      Nemisz, GregGreg Nemisz 3254949
      Lamb, BradenBraden Lamb 44369-325
      Wotherspoon, TylerTyler Wotherspoon* 481891212
      O'Brien, ShaneShane O'Brien 31358658
      Horak, RomanRoman Horak 13257−4 6
      Trupp, EvanEvan Trupp 17167−3 10
      Arsene, DeanDean Arsene 42167−4 43
      Miller, TimTim Miller 14145211
      MacKenzie, DrewDrew MacKenzie 17145214
      Poirier, EmileEmile Poirier 222440
      Breen, ChristopherChristopher Breen 41134−10 29
      Davies, ZachZach Davies 14303−2 6
      Elson, TurnerTurner Elson* 37213119
      Kulak, BrettBrett Kulak 612352
      Connolly, BrendanBrendan Connolly 611220
      MacDermid, LaneLane MacDermid 25112−2 24
      Kremyr, JordanJordan Kremyr 16101-16
      McPherson, AllanAllan McPherson 5011−2 2
      Foster, AdrianAdrian Foster 501102
      Ostrow, KyleKyle Ostrow 5011−2 4
      McKelvie, ZachZach McKelvie 13011−1 14
      Ramage, JohnJohn Ramage* 50011246
      Valcourt, CollinCollin Valcourt 100000
      Knackstedt, JordanJordan Knackstedt 1000−1 5
      Sieloff, PatrickPatrick Sieloff* 200010
      Martin, JamesJames Martin 200002
      Sivak, PeterPeter Sivak 3000−1 2
      Klimchuk, MorganMorgan Klimchuk 4000−2 4
      Eddy, DavidDavid Eddy 5000−2 5
      Hathaway, GarnetGarnet Hathaway 8000110
      Gillies, TrevorTrevor Gillies 9000012
      Lyon, BrettBrett Lyon 9000−1 32

      Denotes player spent time with another team before joining team. Stats reflect time with the team only.
      Left the team mid-season
      *Rookie

      Playoffs
      Player GP G A Pts +/- PIM
      Granlund, MarkusMarkus Granlund 4 2 3 5 −4 2
      Reinhart, MaxMax Reinhart 4 1 3 4 −4 4
      Billins, ChadChad Billins 4 0 2 2 −4 2
      Breen, ChristopherChristopher Breen 4 0 2 2 −2 2
      Poirier, EmileEmile Poirier 3 1 0 1 0 2
      Lafranchise, KaneKane Lafranchise 4 1 0 1 0 2
      Locke, CoreyCorey Locke 4 1 0 1 1 0
      O'Brien, ShaneShane O'Brien 4 1 0 1 −3 18
      Olson, BrettBrett Olson 4 1 0 1 2 2
      Knight, CorbanCorban Knight 2 0 1 1 −1 2
      Baertschi, SvenSven Baertschi 4 0 1 1 −3 6
      Hanowski, BenBen Hanowski 4 0 1 1 −3 2
      Jones, BlairBlair Jones 4 0 1 1 −4 6
      Street, BenBen Street 4 0 1 1 1 2
      Hathaway, GarnetGarnet Hathaway 1 0 0 0 −1 10
      Jooris, JoshJosh Jooris 1 0 0 0 −1 2
      Smith, DerekDerek Smith 1 0 0 0 0 0
      Miller, TimTim Miller 2 0 0 0 0 0
      Arsene, DeanDean Arsene 3 0 0 0 1 18
      Gillies, TrevorTrevor Gillies 3 0 0 0 0 0
      Bancks, CarterCarter Bancks 4 0 0 0 −1 0
      Kulak, BrettBrett Kulak 4 0 0 0 0 2

      Goaltenders

      Note: GP = Games Played; TOI = Time on Ice; W = Wins; L = Losses; GA = Goals Against; GAA = Goals Against Average; SV = Saves; SA = Shots Against; SV% = Save Percentage; SO = Shutouts; G = Goals; A = Assists; PIM = Penalty Minutes
      Updated as of April 20, 2014[45]

      Regular Season
      Player GP TOI W L GA GAA SV SA SV% SO G A PIM
      Ortio, JoniJoni Ortio* 372133278832.33103611190.9262006
      MacDonald, JoeyJoey MacDonald 16900510453.004474920.9090010
      Roy, OlivierOlivier Roy1261556343.313123460.9020010
      Berra, RetoReto Berra 947343212.662082290.9080000
      Dell, AaronAaron Dell626212102.291181280.9220000
      Brossoit, LaurentLaurent Brossoit 2940195.7242510.8240000
      Carr, DougDoug Carr21251041.9249530.9251000
      Totals 4628:04 43 30 212 2.75 2212 2424 0.913 3 0 2 6
      Playoffs
      Player GP TOI W L GA GAA SV SA SV% SO G A PIM
      Ortio, JoniJoni Ortio 4 249:42 1 3 12 2.88 130 142 0.915 0 0 0 0
      Carr, DougDoug Carr 1 28:41 0 0 2 4.18 13 15 0.867 0 0 0 0
      Totals 279:27 1 3 15 3.22 143 158 0.905 0 0 0 0

      Left the team mid-season
      *Rookie

      Milestones

      Player Milestone Reached
      Reto Berra 1st AHL Game
      1st AHL Win
      October 4, 2013[18]
      Turner Elson 1st AHL Goal October 11, 2013[20]
      Laurent Brossoit 1st AHL Game October 18, 2013[46]
      Tyler Wotherspoon 1st AHL Goal October 20, 2013[24]
      Joni Ortio 1st AHL Win October 30, 2013[47]

      References

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