Ben Walter's quick goals key to Heat's 4-2 come-from-behind victory over Aeros

ABBOTSFORD, B.C. - Ben Walter scored two power-play goals in 78 seconds in the third as the Abbotsford Heat came back to beat the Houston Aeros 4-2 on Friday in American Hockey League action.

At 3:00 of the final frame Houston goalie Matt Hackett stretched out to cover a loose puck in a goal-mouth scramble but Roman Horak quickly slid the puck over to Walter at the right side of the net leaving him with an open net for his 11th of the season.

Then the Heat took the lead just five seconds after Johan Larsson took a slashing penalty. Brett Carson slid the puck over to Walter at the top of the circle and he ripped a shot that beat Hackett with Tyler Ruegsegger screening.

Those two goals came after the Heat went scoreless on 27 straight power play opportunities.

Andy Bohmach and Brett Olson also scored for Abbotsford (27-22-8), who snapped a seven-game winless streak. Leland Irving made 29 saves in the win.

Despite earning two NHL victories during a call-up with the Flames, Irving hadn't won an AHL game since Nov. 16, a span of six games.

Justin Fontaine and Stephane Veilleux scored for the visiting Aeros (28-21-7) while Hackett made 21 saves in the losing effort.

The Aeros were 7-1-0 in their last eight but couldn't start the four-game road trip with a victory.

Houston opened the scoring at 15:47 of the first with this second goal of the season. Steven Kampfer threw the puck at the net from a bad angle and Veilleux spun around to swipe the puck around Irving.

Abbotsford tied the game less than two minutes later.

Bombach deflected Chris Breen's one-timer from the face-off dot past Hackett for his first AHL goal. The left winger has played for four different AHL teams but took 21 games over three seasons to net his first goal and just his fourth point.

Irving made a nice save off a Nick Petersen one-timer from the hash marks on a power play in the second period. Just moments later, he got some help from the post as Zack Phillips clanged a shot off the iron and Chad Rau could only sweep the rebound into the sprawled-out goalie, keeping the game tied 1- with about five minutes to go in the second.

Late in the second, the Aeros got a power play after Carter Bancks took a run at Steven Kampfer behind the Houston net and they made the Heat pay. Fontaine skated to the low slot and picked the top right corner as he fell to the ice, giving him a team-leading 14 goals on the year.

Then Abbotsford scored their two power-play goals in the third to take the lead for the first time in the game.

The Heat had to kill off two straight penalties to Zach McKelvie, including the latter with the goalie pulled for a six-on-four advantage.

However, Olson put the game on ice with a short-handed empty-net goal.

Abbotsford finished 2 for 6 on the power play, while Houston was 1 for 7.