The Abbotsford Canucks defied the odds Tuesday night, clawing back after conceding the first goal to defeat the Ontario Reign.
Why was it such a big deal? It marked the first time this season the Reign lost in regulation after scoring first.
Twenty-four hours later, the Canucks returned to the ice, seeking to extend their winning streak to four games and take a 2-1 lead in the season series against their Pacific Division rivals.
It wasn’t an easy task. The Canucks faced a formidable opponent in goaltender Erik Portillo, who had dominated them in last year’s playoffs and continued his stellar play this season.
However, thanks to an outstanding 42-save performance by Arturs Silovs, the Canucks toppled the Reign for a second straight night, winning 5-2.
Let’s delve into how this impressive victory unfolded.
Starting Lineup
Blais – Stevens – Karlsson
Bains – Räty – Smith
Nielsen – Aman – Klimovich
Glover – Wouters – Kambeitz
Pettersson – Friedman
Brännström – Woo
Wolanin – McWard
Silovs
The Canucks’ lineup was nearly identical to Tuesday’s, with the only change being Cole McWard sliding in for rookie defenseman Kirill Kudryavtsev. Head Coach Manny Malhotra clearly opted for the “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” approach after the team’s strong performance the previous night.
The only other change came between the pipes, where Arturs Silovs took over after Nikita Tolopilo’s 23-save performance in Tuesday’s 6-3 victory.
On the injury front, Head Coach Malhotra announced that Ty Mueller, who left Friday’s game after a scary collision into the boards, is considered day-to-day.
First Period: An Explosive Start, Capped by Brännström’s Brilliance
In stark contrast to Tuesday’s relatively calm start, Wednesday night’s contest began with a bang.
Just eight seconds in, Shawn Element crashed the net hard, sending himself directly into Silovs’ kitchen.
What’s an AHL game without a little defensive bobble out the gate, anyway?
With the puck going the other way, Linus Karlsson found himself on a clear break, only to be dangerously shoved from behind into the boards.
While the referees prepared to call a penalty, Karlsson, unimpressed by the dangerous play, showed Charles Hudon his displeasure and provided him with a healthy cross-check to send the game to an early four-on-four matchup.
The teams traded chances throughout the period, with Silovs standing tall in net. He faced a barrage of 15 shots, showcasing his athleticism and composure as he turned aside every Ontario attack.
Midway through the period, Erik Brännström showed off his incredible AHL-worthy, providing a highlight-reel moment with an incredible assist.
Goal – Abbotsford 1-0 – Nate Smith from Erik Brännström and Aatu Räty
With the puck on his stick in the offensive zone, Brännström weaved through the Reign defenders with ease, making them look like pylons in a practice drill. He then delivered a perfect backhand pass to Nate Smith, who was left all alone in front of the net.
Smith made no mistake, going skate to stick to bury the puck for his fifth goal of the season and giving Abbotsford a 1-0 lead.
Brännström, who now has points in all four of his AHL games this season, continues to demonstrate the elite puck-moving and offensive abilities that make him such a valuable asset at the AHL level. At the very least, his razzle-dazzle form in the minors provides a stark reminder of the difference between the two leagues.
But when the leash is off, he can pull off some incredible magic.
Despite being outshot 15-9, the Canucks carried a 1-0 lead into the first intermission thanks to Silovs’ strong performance and Brännström’s offensive magic.
The game happened to be “Hockey Talks” night, and Linus Karlsson, Cole Maward and Chase Wouters provided some encouraging advice during the intermission:
Total shots: ONT 15, ABB 9
Total score: ONT 0, ABB 1
Second Period: Building the lead
The second period began much like the first, with a Canuck defender – this time, Elias Pettersson – turning the puck over, leading to a prime scoring chance for Ontario.
Off the Pettersson blunder, Jeff Malott fired a quick shot, but Silovs squeezed his pads tight to make another crucial save.
Shortly after, the Canucks took their second penalty of the game. However, with the penalty kill nearing its end, Aatu Räty stripped the puck at the Abbotsford blue line and sprung himself and Nils Aman on a shorthanded (almost) 2-on-0.
Thanks to a tremendous backcheck, Räty was forced to pass. Nils Aman attempted the toe drag and scoop but couldn’t solve Portillo over the shoulder.
Silovs continued to hold his end of the bargain at the other end, sliding across to rob an Ontario player with his big toe on a one-timer.
Goal – Abbotsford 2-0 – Nils Aman from Christian Wolanin from Mark Friedman
His teammates rewarded his efforts with their own goal, as Christian Wolanin blasted a one-timer from the point to double the lead. Nils Aman, positioned firmly in front of Portillo, provided a crucial screen on the play and was eventually awarded the goal.
The Reign found themselves in penalty trouble late in the period, taking three consecutive penalties in the final three minutes.
Goal – Abbotsford 3-0 – Linus Karlsson from Erik Brännström and Christian Wolanin
The Canucks capitalized on the extended power play, with Wolanin and Brännström working the puck around the perimeter before Brännström found Linus Karlsson with a perfect and prompt cross-seam pass. Karlsson unleashed a one-timer that beat Portillo, extending the lead to 3-0.
Karlsson’s goal was his fourth in as many games, while both defenders picked up their second points of the match.
The shots may have been 30-17, but the Canucks were making them count to take a stranglehold of the game with 20 minutes to go.
But first, another strong message from a few of the boys.
Total shots: ONT 30, ABB 17
Total score: ONT 0, ABB 3
Third Period: Closing it out
As expected, the Canucks entered the third period focused on protecting their lead. The pace of the game slowed somewhat, but the Canucks remained disciplined and structured, limiting Ontario’s scoring chances.
Of course, they got some luck, too.
Ontario finally broke through midway through the period when Taylor Ward made a nice move and ripped a shot off the crossbar.
Shortly after, the Reign went on the power play and capitalized.
Goal – Ontario 3-1 – Samuel Fagemo from Glenn Gawdin and Reilly Walsh
 
Working it around, the puck found its way to Samuel Famego, who, on Reigns’ 37th shot, beat Silovs clean with a heavy one-timer to cut the deficit to two goals.
However, the Canucks quickly responded to extinguish any hopes of an Ontario comeback.
Goal – Abbotsford 4-1 – Cole McWard from Nate Smith and Aatu Räty
With less than five minutes remaining, Aatu Räty swapped the stick to his off-hand and won an offensive zone face-off cleanly back to Cole McWard. McWard walked the blue line and fired a shot through traffic that found the back of the net, restoring the Canucks’ three-goal lead.
But wait, the Canucks took a late penalty to send the Reign to a late penalty. Of course, they responded.
Goal – Ontario 4-2 – Jeff Malott from Caleb Jones and Charles Hudon
Ontario managed to score another goal on a late power play, with Jeff Malott’s shot eluding Silovs. But it was too little, too late for the Reign.
That’s as close as they’d come, as Sammy Blais would extend his point streak to four games with the empty net goal after an unselfish play from Aatu Räty.
Goal – Abbotsford 5-2 – Sammy Blais from Aatu Räty and Mark Friedman
The Canucks’ 5-2 victory capped off an impressive sweep of their Pacific Division rivals. Aatu Räty led the way with an incredible seven-point series, putting the team on his back when needed.
Before we go, one last word from the Canucks:
CanucksArmy Three Stars of the Series
Third Star: Erik Brännström – His offensive flair and puck-moving skills were on full display throughout the series, racking up three assists over the two games. It’s incredible the vast difference in his game when he lets loose, and his assist in Wednesday’s performance is indicative of that skill.
Second Star: Arturs Silovs – Make no mistake about it; this game sings a completely different tune if it weren’t for Silovs’ incredible 42-save performance. On several occasions, he made 10-bell saves to keep the reign at bay to allow his team to run up the offence. He got caught with a few late ones, but it was an overall strong performance.
First Star: Aatu Räty – It hasn’t been the most productive return to the AHL for the 22-year-old Finn. But a one-goal, six-assist, two-game stretch certainly puts those concerns to rest. He collected points in a variety of ways and was the offensive juggernaut they needed to overpower a strong divisional rival.
What’s Next?
The Canucks wrap up their six-game homestand with a weekend series against the San Jose Barracuda. The puck drops at 7:00 pm PT on Saturday night at the Abbotsford Centre.
Sponsored by bet365