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As the Abbotsford Canucks head to the Calder Cup Finals for the first time, Jett Woo and John Stevens sit down with Canucks Insider Podcast host Chris Faber to talk about the ascension of the franchise, what the fans mean to the team, and the work they’ve put in along the way.

Woo says the way the Abbotsford fans show up for the team is incredible and hearing those “WOO” chants after he throws a big hit pushes him to keep the physicality dialed up.

“I get emotional thinking about it,” Woo said. “The boost we get from the city, from the fans during our games is phenomenal. I played with guys on other teams, and you see them after the game or whatever, and they talk about the fans, how crazy this atmosphere is, how big of a boost it is for us, and how bad it is for them,” Woo said.

“I'm very proud of this city, very proud to say I play here, and every game day here is super, super exciting.”

As part of the leadership group, Woo says it’s non-negotiable for the defence corps to play hard, fast, and physical – a hallmark of Abbotsford Canucks hockey. He says it’s crazy to think about how far they’ve come as a group and how far he’s come as a player over the last four seasons. He talks about the coaching staff getting everyone to buy in and employ playoff-like intensity in practices from the get-go as a big marker for this success this season.

“We're confident if the game were to go to overtime,” Woo said. “It's a weird dynamic how we don't worry; it's a cool feeling to be part of a team like that. Manny [Malhotra] and the coaches have done a great job the whole year hammering our structure and our systems into us and making sure that we buy in," Woo said.

It’s little things like doing down-and-backs every practice with the goal of being conditioned for a deep postseason run. He says the coaching staff has a very professional approach to their schedule with practices, optionals, and days off, so the team gets the most out of their training.

Woo talks about how all of his teammates have stepped up at different times throughout the playoffs and talks about the confidence the group has in their netminder, Artürs Šilovs.

“We go into a game and you don't worry because you know Arty is back there. He's been rock solid for us and we’ve got his back. It gets to the point where we play against a team where they always try to stop up in front of the goalie, in front of Arty, and trying to get in his face, and that really pisses us off. I know everyone in that d-core – everyone on the team – would do anything for Arty, and he's playing great for us. Hopefully we just keep playing for him hard,” Woo said.

Woo also shares what Stevens means to him as a leader and how important it has been for the group to have Stevens travel with the team throughout the playoffs.

“Even when he's not playing, he's around the guys at practice or playing cards or going out for dinners, whatever it is, just making his presence be there. That's enough for that team, and we're all appreciative of him sticking around and battling through what he's going through. We know he's working hard and hopefully he'll be able to get to a point where it's close to playing,” Woo said.

Stevens has enjoyed supporting the team down the stretch, and in a tight and sometime stressful environment he brings positive vibes to the rink every day. Stevens said Abbotsford Canucks captain Chase Wouters asked him to travel with the team throughout the playoffs for support, and he didn’t hesitate to think about it.

Stevens says being a tight-knit group is part of their culture ever since the group moved from Utica to Abbotsford.

“Guys just love being around each other, love being at the rink and, especially this year, we've had such a strong team and a strong bond where guys love putting the work in here,” Stevens said. “In our division too, we're always on the road. We go for two weeks on the road, two weeks at home, so you get a lot of time to spend at the card table, out to dinner, and hanging out with the guys. It creates a – especially this year – really strong team bond.”

Being part of the Canucks’ organization for six years, Stevens says it’s a first-class club and that’s helped them build something special in British Columbia.

“From top to bottom, players, staff, coaches, everyone is just a really quality person. I think that's why we've been able to have success. Because you usually have a good group of people, it's kind of easy to build off that,” he said, adding that General Manager Ryan Johnson has led by example in that regard.

“He's [Johnson] been incredible for me. He's the one who brought me out of Bridgeport and into Utica, and really believed in me as a player and allowed me to become the player that I've become here. I owe a ton to him for just bringing me in. He's just such a good guy, so easy to talk to and talks to you on a personal level. He's always there for you if you need anything at all. So I owe him a ton of credit for just bringing me over here and just believing in me as a player.”

Supporting the group through the playoffs has been fun, and Stevens says the level of compete the Canucks have been playing with is next to none.

“I think it's just a hunger to win in a full team buy in. Guys have been competitive through that whole win streak towards the end of the year, and just wanted perfection, wanted to be better, and really want to win. That collective belief and the team coming together is really what's made us so dangerous down the stretch,” Stevens said.

As an East Coast guy, Stevens talks about embracing the West Coast lifestyle and enjoying everything that living on the west has to offer. He also talks about sage advice he learned when he came into the AHL and what he passes onto young players entering the league.

“I think back to the guys that really helped me when I came into the league. So, I try to do the same thing. Playing every year, you've got to have your routine and eat well and take care of your body, and just do the little things every day, to give yourself a routine that works for you,” Stevens said.

Watch the latest episode here:

For more information about the Canucks Insider Podcast, visit [canucks.com/podcast.](canucks.com/podcast.)

Jett Woo and John Stevens Join Canucks Insider Podcast to talk Calder Cup Finals

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Abbotsford, BC – It’s happening, Abbotsford! For the first time in franchise history, your Abbotsford Canucks are heading to the Calder Cup Finals! After defeating the Texas Stars 4-2 in Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals, Abbotsford is set to open the Calder Cup Finals on the road against the Charlotte Checkers on Friday, June 13 at 4:00pm PT. The team will return home for Game 3 on Tuesday, June 17 at 7:00pm PT at the Abbotsford Centre.  

Join us for this historic moment! Now is your chance to catch Calder Cup Finals action, with tickets to Games 3,4, and 5 on sale now! Purchase yours today [HERE](https://ticket.abbotsfordcanucks.ca/singlegame)! 

This is the culmination of a historic playoff run and season, and the atmosphere at the Abbotsford Centre has never been better! From overtime wins to legendary performances, the energy has been palpable. The fans have created a true home ice-advantage, with Abbotsford posting an 8-2 record at home during the playoffs, following an impressive 24-11-0-1 home record during the regular season.  

The team has felt your energy and passion every step of the way, so let’s keep the momentum going in the Finals! This is history in the making, and we want you to be a part of it. Gear up for the Calder Cup Finals and showcase your Abbotsford pride with official playoff t-shirts available at the Team Store for just $24! Let’s show the rest of the AHL what Abbotsford is made of! 

Calder Cup Finals Schedule: 

Game 1 at Bojangles Coliseum – Friday, June 13 at 4:00pm PT 

Game 2 at Bojangles Coliseum – Sunday, June 15 at 1:00pm PT 

Game 3 at Abbotsford Centre – Tuesday, June 17 at 7:00pm PT 

Game 4 at Abbotsford Centre – Thursday, June 19 at 7:00pm PT 

*Game 5 at Abbotsford Centre – Saturday, June 21 at 6:00pm PT 

*Game 6 at Bojangles Coliseum – Monday, June 23 at 4:00pm PT 

*Game 7 at Bojangles Coliseum – Wednesday, June 25 at 4:00pm PT 

*If necessary 

 

Can’t make it in person? Catch all the action live on AHLTV via [FloHockey](https://flosports.link/3AKApWJ) and follow the team’s Calder Cup journey from anywhere.   

Series Starts Friday, June 13, Abbotsford to Host Game 3 on Tuesday, June 17 at 7:00pm PT 

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ABBOTSFORD CANUCKS ADVANCE TO CALDER CUP FINALS! TICKETS ON SALE NOW! 

As the towels spun with pride at the Abbotsford Centre, the Abbotsford Canucks had to work extremely hard to secure their spot in the Calder Cup Finals, knocking out the Texas Stars Sunday night in a very even and tough best-of-seven series.

Abbotsford Captain Chase Wouters has been with the Canucks since their inaugural season in 2021-22. As a 22-year-old, Wouters was named the captain of the team at the beginning of the club's second season. He spoke about what Sunday’s win and advancement into the Calder Cup Finals mean to this young group.

“Yeah, it means everything. It's been a goal of ours all year to get to this point, and obviously I'm really proud of everyone in that room,” said Wouters. “It takes a lot of hard work and a lot of effort throughout the year to get to this point. So, we'll enjoy this one tonight. But there's still lots of work ahead.”

Wouters is the franchise leader in games played for Abbotsford and has seen the community grow with the AHL team over his four years as a Canuck. The support that this group receives from its fans in big moments, like Sunday, provides a massive boost to the players on the ice.

This group continues to grow and come together as the AHL playoffs roll along. The culture in Abbotsford is something that Canucks’ General Manager Patrik Allvin has spoken highly of, and it starts with the players buying in to making hard work fun.

“We all love coming to the rink every day. That's the main thing. This time of the year is about coming together as a team and being brothers for each other, and that's what we're building off right now. It's quite the feeling, we're all very proud of one another in there.”

The Canucks trailed 2-0 late in the second period, when Arshdeep Bains got the Canucks on the board and commenced the comeback.

“There is just so much belief in that room. Bainsy scores a massive goal with a minute left in the second and we came in the locker room and the whole mentality everyone's saying, ‘we're ending it right here, we're going to get the next one,’ and then we're going to find a way to finish it,” said Max Sasson.

The Canucks came out firing in the third period and ultimately outshot the Stars by a 17-4 count, including a stretch where they had 16 shots to the Stars' one. Jujhar Khaira scored early in the third period to tie the game up, and the crowd went wild for the local guy scoring his third goal of the AHL playoffs.


The Canucks continued their pressure and Max Sasson tipped in an Akito Hirose point-shot to give Abbotsford their first lead of the game.


“I've been pretty snake bitten. I've had a lot of shots, and for one finally to go in, in that moment, I feel like that's how it always goes. It felt really good. And obviously it's a massive goal for the team," said Sasson.

“When we get a lead in the third, we're a really hard team to break down with our structure. So that [celebration], I just let it all out. It felt like the monkey was off my back, and the crowd was insane, the whole place. I kept on just looking around and was like ‘wow,’ that was so cool to see.”

Head coach Manny Malhotra spoke to the team’s depth being one of the primary reasons why the Canucks feel confident even when they are trailing. He was rolling all four lines throughout the third period, and the Canucks kept the pedal to the metal on the backs of every player giving a valiant effort in the final frame.

“It's obviously a huge step for us as a group, as an organization, and I'm happy to see the guys getting rewarded for the way they're playing and their commitment to what we're trying to do here,” said Malhotra.

Malhotra gave plenty of credit to the fans at the Abbotsford Centre as the building was buzzing from the opening puck drop to the trophy presentation.

“I'll say it again and again. Our group gets so much energy off the life in this building,” said Malhotra. “The fans have been outstanding [throughout] the entire playoff run. They're a big part of our success. This atmosphere here to play in front of has been really special for the guys, and we’re looking to continue that.”

Abbotsford has advanced into the Calder Cup Finals and will face the Charlotte Checkers, the AHL affiliate of the Florida Panthers.

They have a couple of former Abbotsford Canucks on their roster, including Will Lockwood and Aidan McDonough (McDonough has not played since November). Zac Dalpe has been injured since December, but he played 55 games for the Vancouver Canucks during the 2013-14 season.

Between the pipes, the Checkers are led by 28-year-old Kaapo Kähkönen. The Finnish netminder won gold with his country at the 2016 World Junior Championships in Vancouver. He is 10-2 in these playoffs and holds a 1.73 goals-against average, 0.927% save percentage, and has one shutout.

The Checkers have won their last eight games, including a sweep in the Conference Finals and Division Finals.

As for the format of the finals, the series will begin on Friday in Charlotte, as they are the higher-seeded team. Games will take place every other day, and the first two games will be held in Charlotte before returning to Abbotsford for games three, four, and five. Games six and seven will be back in Charlotte.


Abbotsford Canucks Advance to Calder Cup Finals for the First Time in Franchise History

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In a tightly contested Calder Cup Finals series that’s seen overtime in both games, the Abbotsford Canucks scored five goals in the third period to beat the Charlotte Checkers 6-1 in regulation.  

Arshdeep Bains led the way with two goals and two assists, Linus Karlsson had one goal and three assists, and Artūrs Šilovs stopped 28 of 29 shots he faced while adding a primary assist in the third period. Special teams was a perfect five-for-five on the evening – the power play was two for two and the penalty kill was three for three. 

Abby had chances early, but Checkers’ forward Oliver Okuliar opened the scoring at 8:22, tallying his fourth goal of the playoffs. 

Abby took a penalty near the end of the first period, but the Canucks’ penalty kill and Artūrs Šilovs were steadfast to close out the first. Shots favoured Charlotte 9-8 at the end of the first, with the Checkers holding a 1-0 lead going into the first intermission. 

In the second, Abbotsford’s Sammy Blais capitalized on the power play at 6:43, assisted by Linus Karlsson and Arshdeep Bains, Blais collecting his fifth goal of the playoffs. Abbotsford was three-for-ten on the man-advantage in the series against the Checkers coming into Game 3 and continued to be dynamic on the power play.  

Blais’ goal ignited the crowd, the Canucks using the momentum and finishing the middle frame tied 1-1. The Checkers held a 9-7 shot advantage in the second, and Šilovs made multiple saves in the last two minutes of the stanza to keep the game tied.  

In the third period, Bains was in a seated position on the ice but stayed focused and shoveled the puck to Max Sasson, who made a cross-crease pass to Linus Karlsson for the go-ahead goal. Karlsson scored net front at 3:58 for his 11th goal of the playoffs and with the goal, Karlsson now holds the record for most goals in a single AHL playoff run by a Swedish player. 

On their second power play of the night, Bains scored one by ripping the puck into the crease. It was assisted by Christian Wolanin and Karlsson. The Canucks kept rolling from there; Phil Di Giuseppe scored off the rush for his sixth goal of the postseason, extending Abbotsford’s lead 4-1. Di Giuseppe’s goal was assisted by Šilovs and when Al Murdoch announced the assist, “Arty” chants rang through the arena. 

The Checkers pulled the goalie with just less than four minutes remaining on the clock, just enough time for Bains to score an empty netter from just inside the blue line extended for his second of the evening. Tristen Nielsen scored on a breakaway at 17:34, deking Kaapo Kähkönen and going five-hole, the Canucks earning a 6-1 win. 

The crowd kept the energy up all night and Abbotsford Head Coach Manny Malhotra said there’s nothing like playing in front of Abby fans. 

“I can't say enough about our crowd. They continue to amaze us. Can't talk enough about how much energy the guys feed off of from this building. It's electrifying, it's a great atmosphere for hockey, and we're privileged to play in front of fans like this,” Malhotra said. 

The Canucks hold a 2-1 series lead, with Game 4 and 5 back at the Abbotsford Centre on Thursday, June 19th at 7:00 p.m. and Saturday, June 21st at 6:00 p.m. 

To get your tickets to Games 4 and 5 visit the website [here](https://ticket.abbotsfordcanucks.ca/singlegame). 

Abbotsford Canucks Take Decisive 6-1 Win Over Charlotte Checkers in Game 3 

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For the second time in as many games, we got overtime in the Calder Cup Finals.  

Though the Abbotsford Canucks hit three posts in a 2-2 game, the Charlotte Checkers ultimately found their first win of the series with a power play in overtime.  

Let’s get into everything that happened in game two.  

The Checkers opened the scoring 3:13 into the period when John Leonard scored his seventh goal of the playoffs.   

Abbotsford punched back just 62 seconds later when Sammy Blais and Jujhar Khaira drove the net hard before Blais got the last touch on the puck to even up the score early in the first. It was Blais’ fourth goal of the playoffs, and the game was all square.  

Wilmer Skoog notched Charlotte’s second goal of the period on the power play, as the Checkers picked up three separate opportunities on the man advantage in the opening frame.  

Down by a goal, the Canucks began to generate momentum with continuous strong shifts in the offensive zone. Their pressure earned them a power play late in the period, and Linus Karlsson scored his team-leading fourth power play goal of the playoffs to make it a 2-2 game at the first intermission.  

The physicality cranked up in the second period, and Blais was once again in the middle of the action. The play went to four-on-four with 15:35 remaining in the second period as Oliver Okuliar and Nate Smith took matching slashing penalties.  

Ty Mueller drew the Canucks’ second power play of the game with 8:21 remaining in the period. He drove to the net and was hooked after putting his shoulder down and making a cut to the crease. The Canucks were unsuccessful on their power play but had some quality looks, including Arshdeep Bains right at the beginning of the power play.  

Khaira took a cross-checking penalty with 5:11 remaining in the period, and it sent the Checkers to their fourth power play opportunity of the game. Chase Wouters and Mueller were disruptive during the penalty kill and the Canucks escaped the penalty unscathed.   

Though there were chances for both sides in the second period, we didn’t see either goaltender beaten in the 20 minutes of play. Playing with physicality seemed to be a priority for both teams in the first 10 minutes of the second half, but the teams locked in during the second half of the period, setting up a crucial third period that would begin with a 2-2 score.  

Christian Wolanin rang a wrist shot off the post just three minutes into the third, and Abbotsford was showing some good jump to begin the final stanza of regulation.  

The Canucks put the pedal to the medal at the halfway point of the period and had a stretch of five minutes where they rolled their lines and put up a scoring chance on nearly every shift. Wolanin hit the post once again with eight minutes remaining in the period. Though the team was being heavily outshot, they were buzzing in the offensive zone throughout the third period.  

For the second consecutive period, the goalies held firm, and for the second straight game, we were getting overtime hockey.  

Just 16 seconds into the overtime frame, Karlsson drew a penalty and the Canucks on the man advantage early in overtime.  

Max Sasson ripped a shot off the post to begin the power play, but the game continued. With four seconds remaining in the power play, Wouters took a tripping call in his own zone, and it sent Charlotte to the power play after a few seconds of four-on-four.  

Michael Benning found space on the left half-wall and found the far side corner of the net with a wrist shot to win game two.  

The series is now tied at 1-1 and returns home to the Abbotsford Centre for game three on Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. PT. The next three games will be played in Abbotsford, before Games

Calder Cup Finals Shifts to Abbotsford for Game Three After Abbotsford Loses Game Two in Overtime

The wait is over, and the Calder Cup Finals are officially underway. 

Game one went down on Friday night at the Bojangles Coliseum in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Abbotsford Canucks settled the rest versus rust debate with a commanding 4-3 victory in the opening game of the finals! 

Max Sasson opened the scoring 4:34 into the opening period with a power play goal. It was Sasson’s fifth goal of the postseason. Sammy Blais and Kirill Kudryavtsev picked up the assists on the goal and helped give Abbotsford an early lead. 

The Checkers fought back with a pair of goals, including a goal with one second left on the clock to give them a 2-1 lead at the first intermission. 

Former Vancouver Giant, Justin Sourdif scored in the second period to give the Checkers a 3-1 lead with just over 13 minutes remaining in the second period.  

The Canucks fought back and did it quickly when Nate Smith was sprung on a breakaway from Blais, and he made no mistake, roofing the puck to make it a one-goal game in the middle frame. 

The Canucks went on the power play to finish the second period and trailed by one goal as they prepared for the third period.  

It was a busy third period, as the Canucks pushed hard off the opening faceoff. Young defenceman Kirill Kudryavtsev already had an assist in the game and was moving the puck up ice throughout the period as the Canucks looked to even up the score in the third period. 

Ty Mueller scored with 11:46 remaining in the third period after consistent pressure, and we had a tie with just over half the third period to play.  

The Canucks had come back to force the game into overtime. The Checkers were extremely dominant in the extra period, holding the Canucks to just 3 shots the entire frame, while grabbing 15 of their own. Šilovs stood tall, backstopping Abbotsford to another period.  

With both teams visibly tired, the teams looked to end this one quickly. At around 8 and a half minutes in, the Checkers thought they called game when the puck rolled into the Canucks net off the faceoff, but the official called the goal off due to an improper start. With a second chance, the Canucks took advantage, and Danila Klimovich became the hero once again, when he called game in his second double OT, backhanding the puck past Kahkonen. 

Abbotsford took game one of the Calder Cup Finals, taking a 4-3 win over the Charlotte Checkers.  

Game two of the Calder Cup Finals is set to take place on Sunday with a 1:00 p.m. PT start time. You can watch all of the Calder Cup Finals games with a FloHockey subscription or listen to the radio call with Brandon Astle on Sportsnet 650. 

ABBOTSFORD TAKES GAME ONE OF THE CALDER CUP PLAYOFFS WITH A 4-3 DOUBLE OT THRILLER

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