The Abbotsford Heat hosted the Toronto Marlies on Friday night in Abbotsford, B.C. for the second consecutive night. After embarrassing the Marlies last night in a 3-0 win which saw Abbotsford set a franchise record two goals in three seconds, the local heroes didn’t disappoint in the second of the back-to-back divisional rivals’ weekend series.
Roman Horak continued his dominance in the early season with a natural hat-trick, claiming three of the four goals scored by his club. Horak accomplished this feat in front of 4,655 fans on a night in which the team set a franchise record with 1,202 tickets sold on game day. Abbotsford took the game with a final score of 4-2.
With the win, The Heat have moved into the top spot in the American Hockey League, even in points with division rivals Lake Erie Monsters, and one point ahead of the Rochester Americans. The North Division has proven to be one of the toughest divisions in the league thus far. The Toronto Marlies have been on the back foot of this division, and claim last place in the division with the two straight losses in Abbotsford.
The Marlies, who fall to last place in the North division with the loss, got off to a desperate start. Spencer Abbott got the Marlies going early as he netted his first of the season and first career AHL goal at 2:32. With just three seconds remaining in the first period, Roman Horak began his natural hat-trick on a clever tip-in redirected shot from defenseman Steve McCarthy.
Ben Walter and Sven Baertschi each earned two assists in the game, assisting each of Horak’s next two goals. Horak buried a rebound as he was planted firmly in front of the net early in the second period at 1:03, and in a mad scramble rebound situation wristed the puck past Marlies goaltender Mark Owuya just over five minutes later to finish the trick.
After assisting Horak's first goal and fighting Greg Scott at 10:46 of the 2nd period, Quinton Laing recorded a ‘Gordie Howe Hat-Trick” as he tallied the last goal of the game at 8:58 of the third period, solidifying the Abbotsford lead.
Heat goaltender Leland Irving stopped 25 of 27 shots for his first victory of the season as he stood tall against the Marlies repeated attempts to take down the Heat, who were out-shot 27-19.
Having scored his first AHL natural hat-trick in front of a packed house, 21 year-old Czech forward Roman Horak also takes the lead in goals scored in the American Hockey League with 10 in 9 games. Horak, drafted 127th overall in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft by the New York Rangers leads his team in points with 11, and is 4th overall in the AHL in points – just two behind league leader Justin Schultz.
Horak spent 14 games with the Heat last season where he tallied 2 goals and 4 points, but quickly made the jump to the Calgary Flames for his NHL debut where he contended in 61 games and finished the season with 3 goals and 11 points. Horak was destined for a spot on the Flames’ roster again this season, but has instead found himself back in Abbotsford due to the NHL lockout. Roman is currently on a seven-game points-scoring streak, and is looking more like a top tier prospect than originally intended.
Horak was acquired from the New York Rangers after Tim Erixon, the Flames’ 2009 NHL Entry Draft Choice 104 picks before Horak was selected, failed to sign with the club. Calgary subsequently sent Erixon to the Rangers along with a 4th round pick and received two 2nd round picks and, of course, Roman Horak. Roman had spent two seasons with the Chilliwack Bruins of the WHL, where he amassed 47 goals and 125 points in 130 games, but had lost some of his flair prior to the draft. Horak seemed to struggle somewhat off the ice having moved freshly from the Czech Republic, but is finally starting to hit his stride as a player in professional North American Hockey.
Now that Horak has some North American professional experience under his belt, his natural goal scoring and offensive skill sets are starting to shine. He is now over a year’s experienced in a league of men.
“He’s definitely finding the net, and it’s great because there are very few people in the game of hockey that would ever find a streak like this,” Head Coach Troy Ward said. “We just sit back and enjoy it. And we’re really happy for Roman, because I think it’s really important to him to continue to try to establish himself where he wants to be looked at in the game - and that’s a top-six forward.”
Roman Horak is a real threat to the scoring title chase in the American Hockey League, but the scoring title certainly plays second fiddle to the ability to regularly make the NHL roster of the Calgary Flames. Until then, Roman leads the way.
With the league lead in hand, the Abbotsford Heat will begin to defend their position against the much talked about Oklahoma City Barons on Friday night, as Horak will most definitely be matched up against the current league leader in points, Justin Schultz.
- Kendall Grubbs
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