ABBOTSFORD - Playing four games in five nights didn't seem to bother David Van Der Gulik.

The Abbotsford forward used a burst of speed to score a late third-period goal and help the Heat snap a five-game losing skid with a 2-1 win over the Manitoba Moose in American Hockey League action Tuesday.

Keith Seabrook sprung Van Der Gulik, who managed to get behind the Moose defence and slide the puck through the pads of Moose goaltender Cory Schneider.

"I just tried to get up the middle with speed and Seabrook saw me," Van Der Gulik said. "We kind of made an eye-to-eye and he knew where I was going. It was a great bounce off their d-man -- I was fortunate to get that."

Abbotsford (35-29-11) opened the scoring on the power play. Jon Rheault, playing his second game with the Heat, beat Schneider from the face-off dot to give the home team a 1-0 first-period lead.

The Heat had three power plays and outshot the Moose 14-6 in the first period, but had just the lone goal to show for it.

Manitoba (36-32-6) tied the game on a power play near the midway mark of the second period. Sergei Shirokov worked the puck around to Marco Rosa, who beat Heat goaltender David Shantz.

"We got (Abbotsford) that just played four games in five nights and we're taking all the penalties," said Moose coach Scott Arniel. "We're taking hooking and holding penalties and giving them the opportunities to get the momentum.

"They did and they scored early and we didn't muster up enough."

Abbotsford thought they had taken their second lead of the game late in the second when Tyler Spurgeon's shot from the point got past Schneider, but Shawn Weller was ruled in the crease and the goal was waved off.

"I have no idea what happened," said Van Der Gulik. "It looked good on the replay. I thought it was a goal, but mistakes happen."

The Moose pressed in the dying seconds to force over time, but could not solve Shantz.

Abbotsford finished the night 1-for-6 on the power play while Manitoba went 1-for-5 with the man advantage.

"We really stuck to the game plan, we practised in the morning and we were ready to come out and fire pucks on Schneider," said Van Der Gulik. "We got a lot of chances, we had some bounces around the net that easily could've been in."

With the win the Heat move three points up on the Moose for third spot in the North Division, but Manitoba has a game in hand.

Shantz made 18 saves for his 12th win of the season while Schneider made 42 saves in the loss.