The Abbotsford Canucks have the opportunity to grab a commanding 2-0 lead in the best of five American Hockey League Pacific Division Final when they host the Colorado Eagles in Game 2 tonight.
The game is set for a 6 pm puck drop at Abbotsford Centre where the Canucks defeated the Eagles 2-0 in the series opener on Friday night.
What we know
Arturs Silovs is authoring a remarkable story in the AHL postseason. The Canucks netminder has posted back to back shutouts and three in his last four home games. On Friday, he stopped all 22 shots he faced and is now 6-1 in the playoffs with a sparkling 1.50 GAA and a .942% save percentage. He has stopped 76 of the last 77 shots he’s faced over his past three starts and currently holds a shutout string of 136 minutes and 36 seconds.
Ty Mueller scored his first AHL playoff goal to give Abbotsford a 1-0 lead on a late second period power play. Victor Mancini sealed the victory into an empty net with five seconds to play. The Canucks have now had 14 different skaters score at least one goal through eight playoff games.
Sammy Blais picked up the primary assist on the Mueller game winner, giving the veteran winger a team-leading nine playoff points.
Abbotsford went one for two on the power play in the opener and is now six for 27 (22.2%) in the playoffs. The penalty kill remains perfect in the postseason after successfully defending all three shorthanded situations on Friday. The Canucks are now 23 for 23 on the PK while also scoring a shorthanded goal earlier in the playoffs.
Abbotsford has outscored its three playoff opponents 24-14 through eight games, going 6-2 in the process. The team is 5-1 in six home games and has won four straight in the Fraser Valley.
Manny Malhotra will be looking for a win on his 45th birthday.
Happy birthday Manny Malhotra 🥳#CanucksAlumni pic.twitter.com/C043q02Xso
— Vancouver Canucks Alumni (@canucksalumni) May 18, 2025
The opponent
The highest-scoring team in the AHL regular season, Colorado, suffered its first shutout loss of the season on Friday. This was the Eagles’ second defeat of the postseason after handling San Jose in four games in the previous round.
Former Vancouver Giants netminder Trent Miner was sharp on Friday night. He stopped 22 of the 23 shots fired his way.
Jake Wise, Chris Wagner and Calle Rosen led the Eagles with four shots apiece in the opener.
The trio of Jayson Megna, Tye Felhaber and Matthew Phillips, who combined for seven goals and 18 points in the four game triumph over San Jose last round, managed just three shots on goal in Game 1 against the Canucks.
Jacob McDonald, who led all AHL defencemen with 31 goals this season, had a pair of shots on goal on Friday, but has yet to score in the postseason.
What’s next?
After tonight, the remainder of the series will be staged at Blue Arena in Loveland, CO. Game 3 is set for Wednesday night. If necessary, Game 4 is scheduled for Friday, while the fifth and deciding game is slated for Monday, May 26th. That is Memorial Day in the United States, and because of the holiday, the Game 5 puck drop is set for 2:05 pm Pacific.
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.
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