Playoff hockey returns to the Fraser Valley tonight when the Abbotsford Canucks host the Coachella Valley Firebirds in Game 3 of their second round American Hockey League playoff series.
The teams are tied at one win apiece after splitting the first two games of the series in Palm Desert. The Canucks took the opener 3-1 while the Firebirds responded with a 5-4 overtime victory.
What we know
The Canucks may be forced to make lineup changes after injuries to Jett Woo and Aatu Räty on Saturday. Both players left the game and did not return.
On an appearance on Sportsnet 650 this morning, Abbotsford GM Ryan Johnson admitted that lineup changes are a distinct possibility due to injury, but believes the Canucks have the depth to deal with them.
“We’ve got some guys that are pushing to play tonight, but we’ll make a decision based off if they’re not close to 100 percent,” Johnson said. “We are very trusting in the group we have. We have some good players that have been a big part of the group all season that have been sitting on the sidelines throughout the first part of these playoffs. We’ve always felt that if we were able to keep playing further into these playoffs that if we lost some bodies we have more than capable guys ready to go.”
Jonathan Lekkerimäki could return to action after missing the past three games with complications from dental surgery. The 20-year-old was a full participant in Tuesday’s practice and skated on a line with Arshdeep Bains and Max Sasson. Lekkerimäki is without a point in the two postseason games he has appeared in.
Manny Malhotra has a decision to make in goal. Arturs Silovs got the hook after allowing three goals on eight shots in Game 2. Nikita Tolopilo came in for his first AHL playoff action and gave up a pair of goals, including the overtime winner.
Jujhar Kharia had a pair of goals, an assist and got into a fight on Saturday, while linemate Nate Smith had a goal and two helpers. Phil Di Giuseppe scored the Canucks other goal. The veteran winger has four points in five playoff games.
Sammy Blais leads Abbotsford – and has a share of the AHL playoff lead – with six postseason points.
Abbotsford would like to get off to a better start than in either game in Palm Springs. Coachella Valley opened the scoring 96 seconds into the opener and 3:02 into the second game. The Canucks have opened the scoring in just two of their five playoff games so far and Tristen Nielson has scored both of those goals.
The opponent
Jacob Melanson scored his first goal of the playoffs 4:45 into overtime to give Coachella Valley the win on Saturday. Melanson also had an assist on Ben Meyers’s late tying goal.
Two of the Firebirds’ three postseason wins this spring have come in OT.
Jani Nyman, who led CV with 28 goals in the regular season and played 12 NHL games in Seattle, has not figured in the scoring in this series and has just one playoff point so far – an assist in the Firebirds postseason opener.
Tonight will be the team’s first road game in the playoffs after sweeping Calgary on home ice in the opening round. During the regular season, Coachella Valley was 20-12-4 away from home.
Goalie Nikke Kokko is 1-1 in this series and now 3-1 in the playoffs with a 2.12 GAA and a .917% save percentage.
Future watch
The Vancouver Canucks announced in January that in lieu of the Young Stars showcase in Penticton, their top prospects will face the Seattle Kraken farmhands in a two-game preseason series in September. Several members of both Abbotsford and Coachella Valley will take part in those games. Dates for those contests are still to be determined, with this year’s event scheduled for the Kraken practice facility in Seattle. Next year’s games will be hosted in Abbotsford.
Make sure to join the Rink Wide postgame live stream immediately following tonight’s game. Rink Wide will provide a full breakdown and comprehensive coverage of the Abbotsford Canucks through the AHL playoffs. When the final buzzer sounds, be sure to log onto Rink Wide and join the YouTube live chat to discuss the game with other Canucks fans. Subscribe to the Rink Wide YouTube channel and never miss an episode.
Sponsored by bet365
