CLEVELAND – The Abbotsford Heat turned in another strong road effort on Sunday afternoon, earning a 2-1 win over the Lake Erie Monsters.

Sunday's victory capped quite a turnaround for the Heat, who had dropped the first three games of a six-game road swing, but won the last three to finish the trip with a 3-3 record.

The Heat once again displayed a strong work ethic, good forechecking and solid goaltending in the victory. Leland Irving finished off a great week of tending the pipes for Abbotsford, posting his third straight win while allowing just one goal on 27 Monsters shots.

The Heat line of Jamie Lundmark, Jason Jaffray, and Colin Stuart combined to open the scoring in the first period. After Jaffray and Stuart cycled the puck behind the Monsters goal, Stuart passed it to Lundmark, who dragged two defenders to the top of the zone before sliding a no-look back pass onto the tape of Stuart. Stuart stepped into a slap shot and beat Monsters goalie Tyler Weiman high to the glove side, with Jaffray providing the screen.

In the second period, Mikael Backlund lit the lamp to give the Heat a 2-0 lead. As Brett Sutter was being chased by two defenders behind the net, he dropped the puck short side to Backlund, who one-timed a shot past Weiman for his fifth goal of the season.

Lake Erie forward David Marshall spoiled Irving's shutout bid with 3:45 left in the third, but the Heat goalie slammed the door the rest of the way.

Irving's spectacular week included 82 saves on 84 shots for a .976 save percentage, a 0.66 GAA, one shutout, and most importantly, three big road wins.

The Heat fly home Monday to prepare for a two-game set against the Rockford IceHogs, the AHL affiliate of the Chicago Blackhawks, on Friday and Saturday nights. The puck drops at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, and 6 p.m. on Saturday.

-- by Dave Sheldon