ABBOTSFORD - The Abbotsford Heat clinched their first-ever playoff spot with a 4-3 win over the Grand Rapids Griffins in American Hockey League action Friday night.
For the second consecutive night, David Van Der Gulik provided the game-winning goal. Van Der Gulik stripped the puck from Griffins' defender Doug Janik and went in all alone, beating Grand Rapids goalie Daniel Larsson high glove side.
Prior to the winner, Grand Rapids made it interesting late in the third as Tomas Tartar picked up two goals in less than two minutes to tie the game 3-3.
Abbotsford (36-29-11) led much of the game, opening up a 2-0 lead in the first.
Cam Cunning got things going for the Heat with a spin around slapshot that beat Larsson.
Less than four minutes later, Keith Seabrook's blast from the point doubled the Abbotsford lead.
Grand Rapids (31-37-7) got to within one early in the third when veteran Brad May picked up his third goal of the season. May corralled a puck off the end boards and snuck it past Heat starter David Shantz, who was out of position on the play.
But Shawn Weller made it 3-1 for the Heat when he buried a rebound off Staffan Kronwall's point shot.
Van Der Gulik's goal with just a minute remaining in the game put a dagger in not only Grand Rapid's comeback, but their playoff hopes as well as the Griffins were officially eliminated from playoff contention with the loss.
Heat newcomer John Lammers picked up two assists in his first game with Abbotsford.
The Heat finished 1-for-4 on the power play while holding the Griffins off the score sheet with the man advantage.
Shantz made 32 saves for his 13th win of the season while Larsson made 30 saves in the loss.
