The Abbotsford Canucks are in the midst of a short three-game California road trip following a six-game homestand at Rogers Forum.

The trip opened with a one-game stop in Ontario against the Pacific Division-leading Ontario Reign for the seventh of eight meetings between the two clubs this season. Despite cutting the lead in half late in the third to spark a push, the Canucks ultimately fell 3–1. Abbotsford now sits at 2-5-0 against Ontario this season, with one final match remaining on the season series.

The lone Canucks goal came on the power play, where Ty Mueller buried his team-leading 15th of the season. Working from his usual flank position, Danila Klimovich sent the puck down low to Bennett Schimek, who quickly delivered a one-touch pass into the slot for Mueller to finish.

For Klimovich, the assist marked his eighth point over his last six games, pushing him up to fourth on the team with 27 points after a slow start to the year. Meanwhile, Schimek recorded his second career AHL assist, both primary and both coming via quick, decisive one-touch feeds to Mueller.

In goal, Jiri Patera stopped 26 of 28 shots and now holds a 9-12-4 record with a .904 save percentage on the season.

Sitting last in the division and 16 points outside of a playoff spot, the Canucks have shifted into evaluation mode down the stretch. With little room to climb, the focus now turns toward small victories and building chemistry to carry some momentum into the offseason.

The Canucks won’t have much time to California dream, as they head straight into a two-game set against the San Jose Barracuda.

San Jose enters the weekend as one of the Pacific Division’s stronger clubs, posting a 7-3-0 record over their last 10 games. In six previous meetings, the Barracuda hold a 4-1-0-1 record against Abbotsford and have outscored them 27-15.

One of the Canucks’ biggest bright spots has been the recent acquisition of Jack Thompson. Acquired at the NHL trade deadline in exchange for Jett Woo, Thompson has made an immediate impact. In just seven games, he has already matched Woo’s production from 27 games, recording eight points. He now leads Abbotsford defencemen with 20 points on the season.

Beyond the numbers, Thompson has added a noticeable element to the Canucks’ backend. His skating and puck movement have helped drive transition, and he has quickly stepped into a major role — logging minutes in all situations while quarterbacking the top power play unit. It will be the first time Abbotsford fans will see Woo, who has one assist through four games, in an opposing jersey.

Danila Klimovich continues to trend upward. With eight points in his last six games, he has become one of Abbotsford’s primary offensive drivers down the stretch. On an expiring contract as a pending restricted free agent, Klimovich has plenty to prove heading into the offseason.

Bennett Schimek has also provided a spark since joining the lineup. While the production has been modest, his quick decision-making and hockey sense have stood out early. The coaching staff has shown confidence in the 22-year-old, deploying him in a top-line role at even strength and on the first power play unit.

Ty Mueller remains the group’s heartbeat. After a slow statistical start, he now co-leads the team with 32 points and is trending toward matching his rookie production. Mueller continues to anchor the top line, handle key penalty kill minutes and draws, and operate in the bumper spot on the power play.

He is joined by Nils Åman, who has also been one of the team’s most consistent contributors. Åman has recorded 11 points over his last 14 games and leads the team in assists by a wide margin, with 27 helpers accounting for the bulk of his 32 points.

Game One is set for Saturday at 6:00 p.m. PT at Tech CU Arena, with Game Two following less than 24 hours later on Sunday at 2:00 p.m. PT.