Keith Seabrook scored the only goal of the game and Matt Keetley made 23 saves as the Abbotsford Heat shutout the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, 1-0, Saturday night at the Arena at Harbor Yard.
With three minutes left in regulation and the game scoreless, Justin DiBenedetto was called for tripping. Greg Mauldin opened the ensuing Bridgeport penalty kill with a breakaway. Mauldin moved in and tried to stuff a backhand shot through Keetley's legs, but he snapped his pads together and made the save.
Seabrook scored the decisive goal later in the same power-play. With just 1:38 left in regulation, Seabrook ripped a shot from the point past a screened Scott Munroe for the only goal of the game.
A hard-hitting first period saw two fights. DiBenedetto and Brad Cole had the first altercation, squaring off eight minutes into the game. In the final two minutes of the period, a four way scrum featured Abbotsford's Patrick Vandermeer and J.D. Watt in a battle with Micheal Haley and Brendan Witt.
"The scrums brought the level of the game up," DiBenedetto said. "It helped us get into the game."
Bridgeport had two power-plays in the first five minutes of the game but could not take advantage. Late in the period, Keetley stopped Trevor Smith's scoring chance from the side of the net.
A scoreless second period saw the physical play continue. The Sound Tigers had the two best scoring chances of the period as Keetley stopped Witt on a shot from the face-off circle. In the closing seconds of the period, Mark Flood tried to jam a puck inside the goalpost but was denied.
The Heat outshot the Sound Tigers 32-23. Munroe made 31 saves in the loss.
"These were two tough points we let get away tonight," DiBenedetto said. "Now we have to move forward from this and get ready for tomorrow."
The Sound Tigers are back in action Sunday afternoon as they host the Hartford Wolf Pack. Face-off at Harbor Yard is set for 3:00 pm. For tickets, please call TicketMaster at 1-800-745-3000.
