It’s official Canucks fans, your Abbotsford Canucks are heading to the AHL’s Calder Cup Final!

After 18 challenging games throughout the first four rounds, the Canucks nabbed their 12th win on Sunday night. They beat the Tucson Roadrunners (22nd-ranked team) in three games, the Coachella Valley Firebirds (14th-ranked team) in four games, the Colorado Eagles (third-ranked team), and the Texas Stars (10th-ranked team) in six games.

But now, they will have their most difficult test yet against the Charlotte Checkers for the Calder Cup.

Here’s what the Abbotsford Canucks can expect out of the Charlotte Checkers:

The Checkers come into the final on an eight-game winning streak. And what’s most impressive is the opponents they’ve done so against. After nearly blowing a 2-0 series lead in the opening round against the Providence Bruins, Charlotte took down the back-to-back Calder Cup champion and Atlantic Division champions, Hershey Bears, defeating them in three games. Their next challenge was against the AHL’s top regular season team, the Laval Rocket. The Checkers made light work of the Rocket, sweeping them in four games, outscoring them 18-6.

However, by the time the puck drops for Game 1 on Friday in Charlotte, that will be 10 days since the Checkers last played. That’s a long stretch of off-time between games, especially when the intensity cracks up that much more with the Calder Cup on the line.

Unlike the Canucks last season against the Texas Stars, the Checkers have a much more balanced scoring group. The Checkers don’t have a single player over a point per game. However, they have 13 of their 23 skaters at a 0.5 point per game or above in this postseason. To put it into perspective, Texas had five skaters over a point per game heading into their series against the Canucks.

During the regular season, the Checkers were one of the most balanced scoring teams in the league. They had one forward over 43 points and five with 35 or more.

Last round, the Canucks had to go up against the AHL regular season leading goal-scorer in Matej Blumel, and the AHL playoff leading goal-scorer in Justin Hryckowian. And in the final, they’ll have to go up against the second-leading goal scorer in the regular season, John Leonard. He finished in a tie with Alex Steeves for second with 36 goals, three behind Blumel.

Leonard hasn’t quite picked up the same goal-scoring ability in the postseason; however, he still has six goals in 12 playoff games. The Checkers’ sniper has scored in four of his last five games. He will be one the Canucks have to contain.

Checkers netminder Kaapo Kahkonen has been one of the best goaltenders during this postseason in the entire AHL. Of the goaltenders to advance past the preliminary round, Kahkonen sits second in goals against average (1.73) and fifth in save percentage (.927). He has stopped 267 of 288 shots he faced, allowing only 21 goals.

In the Eastern Conference Finals, Kahkonen finished with a perfect 4-0 record, with a 1.50 goals against average and a .941 save percentage.

While it will be difficult for the Canucks to crack Kahkonen, the Checkers have a steady defensive structure. The Checkers allowed 185 goals in the regular season, the fourth-lowest in the AHL. That hasn’t changed in the postseason. Charlotte is allowing just 1.75 goals against per game, the lowest of all the teams that advanced past the preliminary round, and the only team sub-2.0.

During the regular season, the Checkers had a top-five power play in the AHL, converting at a 21.2% clip. However, that has dried up in the postseason, as they have the second-lowest power play percentage (7%) of the teams to advance past the preliminary round. They have scored just three goals on 43 power play opportunities.

However, their penalty kill has been their strong unit this postseason, killing 90.2% of their penalties. They have allowed four power play goals on their 41 times being shorthanded. The Canucks will have to watch out for their penalty killing unit, as they have scored six shorthanded goals this postseason, far and away leading the playoffs.

The Canucks do have the advantage on both ends of special teams, having a 22% power play and a 90.6% penalty kill.

The Checkers have a trio of former Canucks players, rostering Will Lockwood, Aidan McDonough and Zac Dalpe.

Lockwood is one of the Checkers’ leading point-getters, sitting tied for third with seven points (five goals and two assists) through 12 games this postseason. In the regular season, Lockwood only scored 21 points (10 goals and 11 assists) in 51 games, but has upped his game this postseason.

McDonough and Dalpe have not played a game for the Checkers this postseason. However, McDonough was an impactful player, scoring six goals and 16 points through 16 games, but dealt with injuries for most of the season. Dalpe only made it into nine games, scoring one goal and three points.

What do you think, Canucks fans? How do you think the Abbotsford Canucks stack up against the Charlotte Checkers in the Calder Cup Final?