ABBOTSFORD, B.C. - Danny Taylor made 22 saves to lead the Abbotsford Heat to a 3-0 win over the Toronto Marlies in American Hockey League action Friday night.
It's the team-high fifth shutout of the season for the native of Plymouth, England. Taylor has made five consecutive starts for Abbotsford, allowing just six goals over that span and just 10 goals over his last eight games played.
The Heat needed just one goal, coming in the first period on Hugh Jessiman's solo effort. He swooped behind the Marlies' net and stole the puck from Will Acton before scoring on the wrap around.
Jon Rheault and Clay Wilson added third-period goals in the third for Abbotsford (41-26-8), who are now on a six-game winning streak and are 9-1-2 in their past 12.
With the win the Heat also clinched home ice advantage in the first round of the Calder Cup playoffs.
Ben Scrivens made 19 saves for Toronto (44-24-7).
Toronto, which had its six-game winning streak ended, has already clinched their division title but are in a battle with the Oklahoma City Barons for first in the Western Conference.
Seven minutes into the game Heat captain Quintin Laing hit Acton hard into the boards. After a scrum Pierre-Luc Letourneau-Leblond, not Laing, was sent to serve a five-minute major penalty for boarding.
Toronto failed to score on the extended power play, and the best chance was actually a short-handed two-on-one for Abbotsford in which Scrivens had to break up a give-and-go.
Toronto, the AHL's worst power play, then failed on another man advantage, giving Abbotsford all the momentum.
Jessiman opened the scoring with his great solo effort at 16:29, his 27th of the season.
The goaltending was the story for the rest of the game.
During a third-period power play the Heat's Paul Byron hit the post, but Scrivens was quick to cover the puck sitting in the crease.
Then, shortly after failing to score on another power play, the Marlies' captain Ryan Hamilton had a slap shot headed for the top corner but Taylor stretched out to snag it with his glove with nine minutes to go.
With just over five minutes to go in the game Rheault gave the Heat some insurance. Ben Walter cut to the slot and backhanded a shot towards the net, that Rheault redirected for his 16th of the season.
Wilson added an empty net goal.
The two teams face-off in their regular-season finale Sunday afternoon.
