The Abbotsford Heat ran out of gas at the end of a grueling three-games-in-three-days road trip, as they dropped a 5-2 decision to the Toronto Marlies at Ricoh Coliseum on Saturday afternoon.
The Heat battled the Marlies to a 2-2 stalemate through 40 minutes, but Toronto scored thrice in the third period to dispatch their weary visitors.
After a scoreless opening frame, the Marlies' Matt Frattin broke the ice 46 seconds in the second period, and Mike Zigomanis staked the hosts to a 2-0 lead with a power-play goal at the 8:05 mark.
The Heat mustered a rally in the late stages of the period. First, Roman Horak notched his first goal as a member of the Heat, converting a feed from Paul Byron on an Abbotsford power play at the 18:49 mark.
Just four seconds before the intermission, Clay Wilson knotted the score, swatting the puck past Marlies goalie Ben Scrivens after being knocked to the ice in the slot.
The final frame was all Toronto, though, as Will Acton, Frattin and Philippe Dupuis beat Heat goalie Danny Taylor to provide the margin of victory. The Marlies out-shot Abbotsford 32-18 for the game.
Up next, the Heat (26-18-3-0) face the Oklahoma City Barons on Thursday in what is technically a home game, though it takes place in Calgary at the Scotiabank Saddledome. The two teams will lock horns again in a rematch next Saturday in Abbotsford.