What a difference a few players can make.

The Abbotsford Canucks have received several reinforcements over the last few games. Slowly but surely, the team has put up competitive efforts and has finally found the winning ledger, with many of the results directly attributable to the additions. Last week, Victor Mancini and Jett Woo added stability, edge, and presence to the lineup. This time around, the boost came up front, with Lukas Reichel and Arshdeep Bains injecting pace, skill, and confidence into a group that’s been searching for consistency.

Those additions didn’t magically fix everything overnight, but they certainly changed the complexion of tonight’s game, especially in the third and final frame. As a team, Abbotsford looked more connected, more dangerous off the rush, and far more capable of dictating play when it mattered. Behind another signature goal from Jonathan Lekkerimäki and a timely push in the third period, the Canucks opened their two-game set with a measured 4–2 win.

Bains–Aman–Lekkerimäki
MacEachern–Reichel–Berard
Alriksson–Mueller–Wouters
Kunz–Khaira–Kambeitz

Kudryavtsev-Mancini
Schuldt–Woo
Arntsen-Mynio

Tolopilo

Scratched: Josh Bloom, Danila Klimovich, Anri Ravinskis, Nikolai Knyzhov, Phip Waugh, Nick Poisson, Arnaud Durandeua
Injured: Guillaume Brisebois, Cooper Walker, Chase Stillman

Both teams came out firing, giving the home crowd plenty to latch onto early.

Vilmer Alriksson created the game’s first look just seconds into the night, collecting a stretch pass from Jimmy Schuldt before using his reach to shield the puck and feather a one-handed feed to Ty Mueller on the rush. Playing his first game back from injury, Mueller found himself alone in tight but couldn’t finish on the point-blank chance.

Moments later, Nikita Tolopilo “eased” his way into the night by denying a breakaway. Cameron Hebig, one of the league’s hottest scorers, was sprung through the middle and tested Tolopilo’s blocker early.

That kicked off what would be a hectic start. Less than two minutes in, the game already had several quality looks at both ends, with shots sitting at 3–3.

It was Abbotsford who struck first.

After a strong backcheck from the captain, the Canucks forced a turnover and transitioned up the ice quickly. Alriksson threaded a perfect through pass to Wouters, who corralled it off his skate in stride and snapped it top shelf over Matthew Villalta for his third of the season.

The Canucks continued their press, collecting several looks off sustained pressure from that momentum.

Failing to provide the go-ahead, however, Tucson took the puck the other way to capitalize.

Trying to move the puck off the boards, Wouters ran into traffic, and the puck spilled loose to Sammy Walker. He showed patience down low before dropping the puck back to the captain, Austin Poganski, in the slot. Arshdeep Bains let up in the slot, giving Poganski the time and space to shovel the puck past Tolopilo to even the score.

Tucson didn’t sit back after the equalizer. Following a Tolopilo giveaway, the Roadrunners threw the puck on net, forcing the goaltender to drop and kick out a pair of strong saves with chaos ensuing in front of him.

Suddenly, in what was a relatively calm opening stretch, tempers finally flared. Jett Woo delivered a heavy hit below the Tucson goal line, drilling Max Szuber into the boards on the dump-and-chase. With the hit being in the numbers, the Roadrunners took exception, and a scrum followed, resulting in offsetting penalties and a brief 4-on-4.

As the players left the box, Ben McCartney made it clear he intended to challenge Woo immediately. The two dropped the gloves, marking Woo’s second fight in as many games.

Since re-joining the team from injury, Jett Woo has provided an incredible spark in each of his games. Looking back on the Abby season thus far, it’s clear the absence of their AHL veteran defender was a gaping hole.

Moments later, Tucson nearly grabbed the lead when a point shot deflected off Victor Mancini, slipped past Tolopilo, and rang off both posts before staying out.

What began as a strong start for Abbotsford was quickly swinging toward the visitors, with shots heavily favouring Tucson. But the Canucks steadied themselves to close the frame.

First, the Bains–Aman–Lekkerimäki line pushed for the go-ahead goal, generating sustained pressure and nearly connecting on multiple looks.

On the next shift out, Lukas Reichel gained the zone with speed, pulled up on a button hook, and found Jimmy Schuldt for a final chance.

It was a fast-paced, physical opening for twenty minutes, with both teams trading chances and leaving the ice deadlocked.

Nikita Tolopilo was forced into action early, bailing out his teammate after Joe Arntsen committed one of the first no-nos you learn as a young defenceman — a blind backhand up the slot. Tolopilo reacted quickly, squared himself, then squeezed the pads together to keep the puck out.

And it wasn’t a one-off. The Roadrunners controlled the early portion of the period, pushing the pace and forcing Tolopilo into several key stops as Abbotsford struggled to find traction.

Although in the midst of a penalty kill, the Canucks wouldn’t generate their best look of the frame until the 13-minute mark. Providing pressure, Nils Aman knocked a puck down mid-air, shielded it with his reach, and snapped a one-handed shot before being hauled down. The effort earned Abbotsford its first power play of the night.

Running a top unit of Chase Wouters, Arshdeep Bains, Lukas Reichel, Jonathan Lekkerimäki, and Sawyer Mynio, the Canucks moved the puck well and enjoyed sustained zone time, but came away with just a single shot on goal.

Failing to capitalize would prove costly.

Tolopilo made the initial save, but Kunc stayed with the play and slid the puck back to the blue line. Simashev leaned into his stick and beat Tolopilo clean for his second career AHL goal.

Aman continued to drive play moments later, springing himself on another partial break after an executed spin-around feed from Lekkerimäki. He drew yet another penalty, giving Abbotsford a quick chance to respond.

On that ensuing power play, Aman nearly made good again, collecting another partial break thanks to a clean zone entry from the speedy Lukas Reichel.

That didn’t work, but the Canucks found their equalizer just seconds later.

Working the puck around the perimeter, Aman grabbed the puck at the goal line before feeding Kudryavtsev up top. Outwaiting traffic, Kudryavtsev saw coverage break down and finally put one toward the net. Left all along in front of the netminder, MacEachern swatted it out of mid-air, tying the game at two.

The Canucks were held up for most of the initial ten minutes, but poured on the pressure in the second half thanks to a pair of power play opportunities. They were outshot, but the only number that mattered was the score.

The Roadrunners started the third the same way they opened the second — with pressure. Three shots came in quick succession, forcing Tolopilo to stay sharp as he kicked away each look to keep the game level.

And just when you might have thought Jonathan Lekkerimäki had been relatively quiet at five-on-five, he reminded everyone why that’s never a safe assumption.

Working the cycle, Lekkerimäki sent the puck down low, where Bains dropped it back to Arntsen to sneak behind the net. Lurking into space, Lekkerimäki drifted into the circle, took the return feed, and absolutely hammered a one-timer past the netminder.

The goal marked his fifth straight game with a goal and his seventh consecutive game with a point.

And the top line wasn’t finished.

The sequence started defensively, with Lekkerimäki blocking a shot in his own zone and sending the puck forward. The camera panned out, but somehow Bains ended up with the puck on his stick. Driving wide, he handled the puck and slipped it through the goaltender’s legs for his first AHL goal of the season in his return.

Was he attempting to slide the puck over to Aman? Perhaps. But we will give him the benefit of the doubt that everything was intentional.

Those two goals were the payoff for a strong night from the top trio, with Aman particularly noticeable. The Swede was everywhere, generating chances, extending possessions, and driving play when it mattered most.

Tucson made its final push late with the goalie pulled, but the Canucks held firm. A composed third period — powered by their top line — sealed the win in the opening game of the two-game set.

This was a response game in every sense. After being outplayed early and weathering sustained pressure in the middle frame, Abbotsford leaned on its best players in the third and got rewarded. Lekkerimäki delivered another signature release, Bains opened his AHL season with a pair of points, and Aman quietly tied everything together with one of his more complete performances of the season.

Tolopilo held steady when the Roadrunners pushed, and the Canucks showed a level of composure that hasn’t always been there this year. It wasn’t flawless, but it was effective. Suddenly, the Canucks have won four of their last eight games. Now, to get on a roll and win back-to-back before the holiday break.

There won’t be much time to rest. The Canucks and Roadrunners are right back at it for a matinee rematch on Saturday. Puck drop is set for 2:00 p.m. PT at Rogers Forum.