ABBOTSFORD - Michal Repik scored the game-winner with just over five minutes remaining in the third as the Rochester Americans edged the Abbotsford Heat 2-1 Sunday night in the AHL.
Repik was able to steal the puck from Heat defenceman John Negrin and put it past Abbotsford starter Leland Irving at 14:48 for his ninth of the year.
The goal completed a third-period rally for the Americans (19-5-1), who were down 1-0 close to the midway point of the third.
"They scored the first goal but we stuck with it, battled back," said Repik. "It was a good game; guys were focused and ready. We didn't want to lose two in a row."
After scoring a total of eight goals in a 6-2 Abbotsford win Saturday night things started out slow Sunday with both teams exchanging limited scoring chances through the first two periods.
Brett Sutter opened the scoring for Abbotsford just past the three-minute mark of the third. Jason Jaffray sprung Sutter loose and he made no mistake snapping a shot from the top of the circle beating Ryan Mior stick-side for his second of the season
"When you've got the lead with a few minutes left in the third period it's a tough one to swallow," said Jaffray of the loss. "We can deal with mistakes, we got a couple unlucky bounces, but when you got a team down a goal with 10 minutes left in the game you've got to take advantage."
Rochester evened the score less than four minutes later when Abbotsford failed to clear the zone and Ville Koistinen picked up the loose puck and beat Irving five-hole.
Mior turned aside 30 shots for his first win of the season while Irving, who made 23 saves, was tagged with his ninth loss of the season.
Saturday's loss to Abbotsford (14-11-4) was the fifth of the season for Rochester who sit in second place in the Western Conference behind only the Texas Stars.
