Amidst a flurry of excitement surrounding a major NHL trade between the Colorado Avalanche and Carolina Hurricanes, the Abbotsford Canucks quietly extended their impressive winning streak to seven games with a hard-fought 3-2 victory over the Tucson Roadrunners.

Despite Tucson holding a 3-1-0-0 season series lead and a 9-7-0-0 all-time record against Abbotsford, the Canucks were determined to continue their winning ways.

Entering the game, the Canucks were riding a six-game winning streak, while the Roadrunners had dropped their previous four contests. So, recency was very much on their side.

In a tightly contested, low-event game, it was the Canucks who emerged victorious, thanks to some late-game heroics from their young Swedish sniper, Jonathan Lekkerimäki and some solid goaltending throughout the match.

With the team getting outplayed on various occasions throughout the night, the Canucks’ resilience and ability to capitalize on opportunities proved to be the difference-maker in this Friday desert showdown.

Let’s check in to see how things went.

Blais – Mueller – Klimovich
Bains – Räty – Lekkerimäki
Nielsen – Aman – Smith
Stevens – Wouters – Kambeitz

Brännström – Woo
Brisebois – McWard
Wolanin – Kudryavtsev

Tolopilo

With Linus Karlsson and Elias Pettersson still with the Vancouver Canucks, Abbotsford’s lineup featured some new combinations. Danila Klimovich, after spending a few weeks in the bottom six, was elevated to the top line, while Erik Brännström returned to the lineup after missing the previous game.

Nikita Tolopilo, riding a three-game winning streak, got the nod in net for the Canucks, with Arturs Silovs backing him up.

Hoping to spoil the party for the visiting team, the Roadrunners wasted no time asserting themselves, capitalizing on a juicy rebound just 1:13 into the game.

Cameron Hebig gained the zone and fired a relatively harmless shot toward Tolopilo. However, the rebound bounced right to Max Szuber, who made no mistake, burying it past the Canucks’ netminder.

In recent games, Vancouver fans are no strangers to weak rebound control, so this goal was a simple case of “like father, like son.”

The Canucks, however, were quick to respond. By that, we mean just 30 seconds later.

After an offensive zone face-off win, Erik Brännström collected the puck and quickly dropped it back to Dino Kambeitz. The fourth-line grinder fired a seemingly safe shot toward the net that Matthew Villalta couldn’t track, tying the game just moments after Tucson had taken the lead.

Believe it or not, with seven goals — just nine points — on the season, Kambeitz is tied for fourth on the team.

Brännström’s assist extended his AHL point streak to six games, with points in every game he’s played for Abbotsford this season. More on him later.

The Canucks, energized by the quick response, dominated the remainder of the period, generating several scoring chances and outshooting the Roadrunners 12-6.

Despite a late surge and double the shots of their opponent, they would settle for a stalemate heading into the dressing room.

The second period was a parade to the penalty box, with both teams combining for seven minor penalties throughout the period. The entire period was primarily focused on special teams — lacklustre special teams, at that.

The constant stream of penalties disrupted the game’s flow, resulting in a low-event period with just nine shots total.

But Tolopilo was on his game.

Despite the choppy play, Tucson managed to break the deadlock late in the period as Artem Duda, an AHL rookie defenceman, dropped to a knee off the cycle and blasted a one-timer past Tolopilo.

Despite all the powerplays, it was a relatively low-event period, which ended with the home team taking a 2-1 lead.

As he seems to do at the AHL level, Erik Brännström took charge in the third period, determined to get the Canucks back on track.

He started by getting under the skin of Roadrunners’ goaltender Villalta with a high shot that sent his helmet flying.

Slowly breaking the netminder down, he then showcased his offensive skills, stickhandling through the Tucson defence and generating a scoring chance.

Finally, in his next shift, Brännström found the back of the net. Entering through the zone as the high trailer, he took a drop pass from Aatu Räty and wired a shot past Villalta, tying the game with a highlight-reel bardown goal.

Brännström’s goal gave him nine points in six games, while Räty collected his 11th point in his last six games.

And just like that, the Canucks were back in action. But not for long.

Almost immediately after their goal, Abbotsford took yet another penalty to squash any gained momentum and send their opponents to their fifth powerplay.

But as he had all game, Tolopilo stood tall, making several key saves to keep the game tied.

With time winding down, Jonathan Lekkerimäki played hero for a consecutive night.

Aatu Räty, from behind the net, took his time and sent a perfect pass to Cole McWard at the far side point. McWard fired a shot that Lekkerimäki, stationed at the side of the net, got a stick on the puck to deflect it past Villalta for his 14th goal of the season.

That’s back-to-back games in which their leading goalscorer (Lekkerimäki) delivered the dagger in the final minute of a tied game to win the game. As we said, he’s doing what he does best, and that’s scoring goals.

As expected, that goal took the wind right out of the Roadrunners’ sails, setting up for a 3-2 final. With that, the Abbotsford Canucks find themselves on a seven (7!) game heater as they continue to make a late-season push up the Pacific Division standings.

The Canucks and Roadrunners will face off again on Saturday night in Tucson, with Abbotsford looking to extend their winning streak to eight games. The puck drops at 6:00 pm PT.