The only unfortunate aspect of the Abbotsford Heat's weekend debut was that the games didn't count in the standings.

On every other front, the Heat's first on-ice spin in front of local fans had to be considered a smashing success.

Abbotsford's freshly minted American Hockey League franchise swept a pair of preseason games against the Manitoba Moose, blitzing the Vancouver Canucks' top farm team 5-2 on Friday and rallying for a 6-4 victory on Sunday.

With opening weekend fading in the rear-view mirror, we're left with three lasting impressions and observations.

TOP LINE IN THE MAKING?

The trio of Mikael Backlund, David Van der Gulik and Carsen Germyn was simply dominant on Friday night, as they accounted for all five Heat goals.

Germyn led the way with a hat trick, while Backlund (one goal, three assists) and Van der Gulik (one goal, two assists) also stuffed the stat sheet.

The line wasn't quite as productive on Sunday, but Van der Gulik and Germyn both bulged the twine in the victory.

Playfair explained that the concept was to play Backlund, a 20-year-old rookie pro, with veteran wingers who were responsible defensively.

"I think that's part of the responsibility of the leadership group, to support the younger players," Playfair said. "And then Mikael can bring his skill level and help those guys.

"It should be a good combination. Then it comes down to the consistency of their work ethic. If they can get that in place, then yeah, they can play together."

TOUGH AS NAILS

If the early returns are any indication, the Heat will not be shy about dropping the mitts this season.

On Friday, the Heat and Moose squared off for five scraps – a pair of questionable Heat hits lit the fuse – and Sunday's dance card featured a pair of gloves-optional tangos. Not a huge surprise, given that the current Abbotsford roster features six players who posted triple-digit penalty minutes last season.

Playfair's goal is to mould a group that's tough to play against – a team that finishes its checks and generally makes life uncomfortable for the opposition. The way the coach sees it, fights are simply a by-product of playing an in-your-face style.

"When you do those things, it leads to confrontations," he analyzed. "It's not a situation where we want to be a team that runs around and thinks we're a bunch of fighters. We've got to battle for space on the ice."

FAN SUPPORT STRONG

To be sure, the attendance numbers (4,573 paying customers on Friday and 4,413 on Sunday) were encouraging for the first-year franchise. According to Heat front-office types, those are very solid numbers for preseason games.

But an even more fascinating measure of how well the team is connecting with the community came prior to the pre-game puck-drop on Friday. The Moose emerged from the tunnel to scattered applause, while the Heat hit the ice to a rousing ovation.

Given that many pundits questioned whether a Flames affiliate could succeed in the heart of Canucks country, it was a positive sign that most of the crowd seemed to be backing the home side against Vancouver's farm team.

"I thought everyone was going to welcome us really nicely, and they did," Van der Gulik said. "You're always going to have some Vancouver Canucks fans – that's part of the game. It's always a thrill to play in front of this many fans."

ICE CHIPS:

n The Calgary Flames assigned goalie David Shantz to the Heat on Sunday. The 23-year-old split last season between the ECHL and AHL, and posted a 2.61 goals against average and a .923 goals against average in 12 games with the AHL's Rochester Americans.

n On Wednesday, the Heat wrap up their exhibition schedule with a tilt against the UBC Thunderbirds. Game time is 7 p.m. at UBC's Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre. A portion of the proceeds will go to support Cloverdale minor hockey coach Rick Sidoni, who is battling cancer.

n The Heat open the AHL regular season on Friday, Oct. 9, when they host the San Antonio Rampage at 7:30 p.m.