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The Abbotsford Canucks finished up their 6-game homestand tonight against the San Jose Barracuda and looked to close it out with a win to sweep all 6 games on home ice.  

Artūrs Šilovs got his turn to take on San Jose in net tonight, and he faced Gabriel Carriere down at the other end.

Continuing to use a similar last night, saw no changes to the first 2 lines. Sammy Blais, Ty Mueller, and Linus Karlsson stuck together, and Arshdeep Bains, Aatu Räty, and Nate Smith remained a trio. Jonathan Lekkerimäki returned to the club and slotted in next to Tristen Nelsen and fellow Swede, Nils Åman. This meant that Danila Klimovich would scoot in next to Chase Wouters and Dino Kambeitz to round out the group of forwards.

On the blue line, Elias Petterson and Mark Friedman continued to stick together, meanwhile, Christian Wolanin moved up next to Jett Woo. Kirill Kudryavtsev and Cole McWard slotted back into the lineup next to each other to close out the final lineup of the homestand. 

It was a busy first period that kicked off not in favour of the Canucks. After a penalty call towards Abbotsford, former Canucks Justin Bailey was waiting on the doorstep, where he tucked home the puck from Andrew Poturalski to give the Barracuda an early 1-0 lead. Just under two minutes later, Andrew Portualski walked into the Canucks zone all alone and ripped a shot from the point to extend the Barracudas lead to 2. Not how they drew it up, the Canucks had to muster it up to get those goals back to ensure they wouldn’t be down going into the second period. Around the 14-minute mark, their chance came when a penalty was dealt to San Jose. Nils Åman would be sure to capitalize when he picked up a pass from Lekkerimäki behind the net, to bring the Canucks back within one. Continuing to push the pace, the Canucks found themselves on an offensive draw just a few minutes later. After a clean win of the draw, the puck made its way cross-ice to Cole McWard, where he ripped a shot from the point, that bounced its way into the Barracuda’s net. The teams were tied at 2, heading into the second period. 

The 2-man advantages were the difference makers in this period. The Canucks were on a 5-on-3 to start the period. They made their way into the offensive zone and posted some great chances, but it wasn’t until the advantage was about to expire that Aatu Räty jammed home the loose puck in front to give Abbotsford their first lead of the game. No scoring changes in the middle of the frame, but as time was ticking down, the Barracuda found themselves on a 5-on-3 this time. Just like the Canucks, they took complete advantage of it, when Luca Cagnoni when a shot from the slot made it past Šilovs to tie the game up once again. The teams were locked at 3, with one more period to play. 

The Canucks were just 20 minutes away from completing their sweep of the homestand. They faced a battle early on when a misplay left the Canucks net wide open for Ethan Cardwell to bring them ahead just 7 seconds in. That didn’t stop the Canucks because just a minute later, Linus Karlsson deflected in a perfectly placed shot from Ty Mueller to even the scoring once again. Time was running out and it was a race to avoid overtime but there was no quit in the Canucks game. With just 38 seconds left in the game, Jonathan Lekkerimäki was the hero, when he received the pass from Arshdeep Bains to secure the game-winning goal! Time expired the Canucks completed their sweep, winning all 6 games at home, completed with a 5-4 win over the San Jose Barracuda! 

The Canucks will take a few days before heading down south to face the Tucson Roadrunners and the Coachella Valley Firebirds!
. 
To purchase tickets to an upcoming game, click [HERE](https://abbotsford.canucks.com/tickets/singlegame). 


ABBOTSFORD COMPLETES THE HOMESTAND SWEEP WITH A 5-4 WIN OVER THE BARRACUDA

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The Abbotsford Canucks kicked off their final series of the homestand, this time taking on the San Jose Barracuda. This is the first time San Jose has come into town this season, and the Canucks looked to use the home-ice advantage to extend their win streak.

Continuing to rotate goaltenders, Nikita Tolopilo was in tonight for the Canucks, taking on Georgi Romanov.
Sticking with a very similar lineup that has seen success so far this homestand, had Ty Mueller drawing back in right where he left off, between Sammy Blais and Linus Karlsson. Aatu Räty continued to center Arshdeep Bains and Nate Smith, and Tristen Nielsen and Danila Klimovich bookended Nils Åman! Dino Kambeitz slotted into the lineup for his 200th AHL game next to Chase Wouters and Cooper Walker to strong-arm the offense. 

On the blue line, there were minimal changes, with Elias Pettersson and Mark Friedman sticking together. Erik Brännström and Jett Woo continued to pair up, and Christian Felton drew back into the lineup next to Christian Wolanin to round the lineup out for the night. 

It was a physical start to the game, resulting in 5 penalties, some great chances, and unreal saves at both ends. The teams placed great pressure on each other, ending the period with 13 shots, and Nikita Tolopilo stopping 17 shots. Despite the high shot count, the Canucks were the only ones to get a shot through, with a man advantage. It didn’t take long to utilize the powerplay well, when Erik Brännström took a shot from the blue line, and Linus Karlsson was in the right place at the right time to tip it in and give the Canucks a 1-0 lead into the second period. 

Keeping up the pace, the teams continued to register shot after shot on net. With some more great saves, it wasn’t until just over halfway through the period that Tristen Nielsen fired a shot on net, that Nate Smith was able to deflect in to give the Canucks a 2-0 lead. However, just a few minutes later, Anthony Vincent picked up the rebound in front of the net and tucked it past Tolopilo, to cut the Canucks lead in half. With just a minute and a half left in the period, an issue with the glass meant the teams would leave the ice early and play the remaining time after the intermission. Neither team scored in the leftover time, and the score remained 2-1, after 40 minutes of play. 

Looking to close out the deal, the Canucks faced a roadblock when they found themselves down a man, just under the halfway point. The Barracuda would capitalize when Luca Cagnoni ripped a shot from the slot to tie the game up at 2. Abbotsford didn’t settle, instead, they pushed the pace and got rewarded when a few minutes later, they found themselves on a  3-on-1. Sammy Blais and Nils Åman came rushing down the ice, and the original shot from Blais hit the post, the Åman was right there to clean it up and cash in on the lead once again. With just a few minutes remaining, the Barracuda pulled their goaltender to get an extra body on the ice, but it wasn’t enough to get it done. The Canucks take their 5th straight with a 3-2 victory over the San Jose Barracuda. 

They will rematch tomorrow and look to take all 6 game on the home stand before heading back on the road to take on the Tucson Roadrunners and Coachella Valley Firebirds. 

To purchase tickets to an upcoming game, click [HERE](https://abbotsford.canucks.com/tickets/singlegame). 

CANUCKS GET THEIR 5TH STRAIGHT VICTORY IN A 3-2 WIN OVER SAN JOSE 

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The Abbotsford Canucks hosted their 4th annual Hockey Talks night and looked to seize the series against the Ontario Reign.
The teams swapped netminders tonight, as Artūrs Šilovs got the start tonight against Erik Portillo for the Reign.

The Canucks went for their third straight night of identical offensive lines. Sammy Blais, John Stevens, and Linus Karlsson stuck together, along with Arshdeep Bains, Aatu Räty, and Nate Smith. Nils Åman continued to center Tristen Nielsen and Danila Klimovich, and Ty Glover and Dino Kambeitz bookended Chase Wouters to round it out tonight. 

On the backend, Elias Pettersson and Mark Friedman dominated as a duo, and Erik Brännström stuck next to Jett Woo. The only change came to Cole McWard, who slotted back in next to Christian Wolanin to solidify the lineup. 

Abbotsford looked to carry over their momentum from last night, as the puck dropped on tonight’s game. A couple of early penalties to each team would set the tone for what would be a physical game. The goaltenders looked sharp all period, but there would only be one person who could crack them in the first 20 minutes. Luckily for the home team, Nate Smith would be the one to crack Portillo, when he cleaned up his own rebound, giving Abbotsford a 1-0 lead into the second period. 

The majority of the second period would be a goalie standoff once again. Artūrs Šilovs came up big for the Canucks, stopping all 15 shots in the period that Ontario dominated. However, with less than five minutes to go, Abbotsford got themselves set up in the Reign’s zone, and Nils Åman got his stick on a shot from Christian Wolanin that ensured the puck would end up in the net. Abbotsford now had a 2 goal lead, and Ontario found 2 of their men in the box simultaneously. With the 2-man advantage, Linus Karlsson cashed in on a perfectly set up tic-tac-toe play with Erik Brännström and Christian Wolanin for their 3rd of the game. Abbotsford held a 3-0 lead going into the final frame.

They was 20 minutes away from closing out the game and securing their 4th straight victory. Abbotsford caught themselves down a man just over the halfway point, and Ontario took advantage when Samuel Fagemo scored their first of the game to bring them closer to a comeback. It didn’t take long for the Canucks to respond though, when Cole McWard ripped a shot from the blueline, restoring their 3-goal lead. Continuing their back and forth in the third period, the Canucks were down a man once again, and just two minutes later, Jeff Malott took his own shot from the point to grab their second of the game. In their last-ditch effort, to get the game back, Ontario pulled Portillo, but just like last night, the Canucks sealed the deal, when Sammy Blais took the shot into the empty net to give them a 5-2 lead. 

The Abbotsford Canucks kept it going and secured their fourth straight win with a 5-2 victory over the Ontario Reign tonight. Artūrs Šilovs played a massive role in tonight's win, after stopping 42 of 44 shots on net. They will take 2 days to reset before taking on the San Jose Barracuda to close out their homestand with Flaunt Your Flannel Night and Next Gen Sunday. 

To purchase tickets to an upcoming game, click [HERE](lhttps://abbotsford.canucks.com/tickets/singlegame). 

CANUCKS GET THEIR 4TH STRAIGHT WIN AFTER A 5-2 VICTORY OVER THE ONTARIO REIGN

The Abbotsford Canucks hit the road following their 6-game home stint, making their first stop in Tucson to take on the Roadrunners. Abbotsford looked to continue their home momentum into the road, hoping for their 7th straight win.

Nikita Tolopilo got the first start of the road trip, taking on Matthew Villalta, a historically tough goaltender for them to solve.

The Canucks continued to play a similar lineup to the previous few games, making minor tweaks. Danila Klimovich moved into the right wing spot of Sammy Blais, and Ty Mueller, and Jonathan Lekkerimäki slotted on the right wing of Arshdeep Bains, and Aatu Räty. Tristen Nielsen and Nils Åman stuck together alongside Nate Smith, and John Stevens returned to the lineup next to Chase Wouters and Dino Kambeitz to round out the group of forwards.

The blue line saw a few different pairings, starting with Erik Brännström and Jet Woo. Guillaume Brisebois slotted back in following his time with the Vancouver Canucks and he paired up with Cole McWard, and Christian Wolanin and Kirill Kudryavtsev became a duo to strong-arm the blue line.

The game got off to a rapid start when just a minute and 13 seconds in, Max Szuber picked up the rebound and took a snipe from the slot to give the Roadrunners an early 1-0 lead. Their lead lasted about 33 seconds, until John Stevens won the faceoff in the offensive zone, passed to Erik Brännstrom, who then backhanded it back to Dino Kambeitz. Kambeitz one-timed the puck right to the back of the net, and the game was tied at 1, less than 2 minutes into the game. The teams exchanged a penalty each, but no one else could score for the remainder of the period, and they headed into the second fired, locked at one goal apiece. 

The second period was a lot slower. There were a ton of man advantages, giving each team ample opportunities to get on the board but Nikita Tolopilo and Matthew Villalta were at the top of their games. They were making huge save after huge save, until 18 minutes in, Artem Duda ripped a shot from the blue line, that ultimately made its way to the back of the Canucks net. The Roadrunners found themselves up 2-1, but Abbotsford would not give up pressure yet as they ended the period and started the third on the powerplay. 

The Roadrunners were determined to snap their losing streak as they came out swinging, taking control of the puck, and registering some of their best shifts of the game. Unfortunately for them, the Canucks were even more determined to keep their win streak alive, seeing Tolopilo stand on his head for the remainder of the period. 8 minutes in, Erik Brännström received the puck from Aatu Räty, who set him up perfectly for a point shot to even the score at 2. Aatu Räty picked up his 100th career AHL point, with an assist on Brännström’s equalizer goal. With time running out, both teams began fighting for the go-ahead goal. With overtime hanging over their head, Jonathan Lekkerimäki became the hero for Abbotsford once again, when he took a shot from the blue line with 21 seconds remaining in the game, to give the Canucks their first lead of the game. It was too late for Tucson, and Abbotsford came away with a 3-2 win over the Roadrunners, successfully securing their 7th straight victory. 

You can expect a tough battle when the two teams rematch tomorrow night, and then the Canucks will head west to take on the Coachella Valley Firebirds, ahead of returning home once again. 

To purchase tickets to an upcoming game, click [HERE](https://abbotsford.canucks.com/tickets/singlegame). 

The Canucks secure 7th straight victory with a 3-2 win over the roadrunners

The canucks secure 7th straight victory with a 3-2 win over the roadrunners

I took a trip down to the farm on Sunday.

The Abbotsford Canucks came into their tilt with the San Jose Barracuda riding a five-game winning streak and were looking to sweep all six games of their homestand.

Ultimately, the outcome of which the Canucks desired was the outcome that they received as Jonathan Lekkerimäki scored the game-winning goal in the final minute of the third period.

After a funky bounce off the boards gifted the Barracuda a 4-3 lead early in the third period, the Canucks stayed calm and stuck to their game plan.

“We felt good, especially when we kept [the game] at five-on-five,” said Canucks forward Tristen Nielsen. “Honestly, it’s just a hard building to come into. You talk to guys who have played against us, they always call it ‘The Abby Trap’ and it’s been a lot of fun playing in front of our crowd. They find it a heavy building to come into and were always ready to play when we’re here.”

Nielsen picked up his 100th career assist in the AHL and became the fifth player in Abbotsford Canucks history to reach the 100-point plateau.

“To be honest, I didn't even know that,” said Nielsen. “It's pretty special. I love playing here. It's been electric every year, and I feel like every year is a different type of excitement. Fans are always good. So, it's a lot of fun playing here. I love it.”

Canucks forward Aatu Räty set up the Lekkerimäki game-winner and a goal of his own earlier in the game.

The 22-year-old forward had himself a heck of a week. He picked up nine points over four games and was named the AHL’s Player of the Week.

Lekkerimäki scored the game-winning goal and also added a pair of assists in the game. When Abbotsford defenceman and AHL all-star Elias Pettersson was asked about that final shift, he had no doubt that his fellow Swede was going to bury the winner.

“Yeah, he’s a goal scorer,” said Pettersson with a chuckle when asked if he knew Lekkerimäki was going to score in the final shift.

The Abbotsford Canucks now have a week of practice before hitting the road for a Friday and Saturday back-to-back against the Tucson Roadrunners. They will then travel to Coachella Valley for a Wednesday night game against a strong Firebirds team.

Abby will play two home games the following weekend and then the AHL heads into their all-star break.

**Insider Extra: All-Star D-Petey**

The 20-year-old Pettersson has impressed many this season and has shown enough to be selected to represent Abbotsford at the All-Star festivities.

“It feels good, of course,” said Pettersson. “I am happy to represent Abbotsford for it. It's going to be a fun couple of days and I’m going to bring my girlfriend for it. John Stevens is also going, so maybe we will play a round of golf.”

The young defenceman is sticking to his game and not changing his playstyle has helped him find early success in the AHL.

“I know what I have to bring to the team, and I have to do it. I think my team is expecting my game to be hard and not trying to do any flashy things. So, I'm trying to stay to that,” said Pettersson. “I'm trying to grow and not have those ups and downs. I’m trying to not make so many mistakes and just trying to build on that.”

His head coach Manny Malhotra spoke highly of the season that Pettersson has been having and discussed what has given him success through the first half of the year.

“I think the overall theme for Petey is that he knows who he is as a player. He hasn't wavered from that. I think the evolution for him is just being harder, stronger, and faster. Obviously, he's a big man that can move around the ice really well, but on a nightly basis, getting some tough matchups, playing against some big, heavy bodies – he's learning how to become a pro and do it on a nightly basis,” said Malhotra.

“Obviously, the start of the season that he had, we didn't question [the success], but we were wondering if he would be able to maintain that pace, and he's done so and then some. His attitude when he comes to the rink is that he wants to get better. He's willing to put the work in and, and Smitty [assistant coach Jordan Smith] has done a really good job of honing his game.”

Pettersson is becoming one of the most-loved players in the room and has earned the respect of his teammates from his gritty play and willingness to stand up for teammates.

“He’s an all-star in his first year, I’d say he’s doing pretty good,” said Räty with a laugh. “He's a really good teammate. He's blended into our group really well. He's a happy guy; he's a loud guy and we love him over here. He jokes a lot, and he's really involved, which I love. That's something that he is doing really well, he's very involved. It wouldn't be weird if he had an ‘A’ on his jersey, like that's how involved he is.”

With all the success early on in his AHL career, Malhotra wants to focus on finding a way for Pettersson to be successful every night and prepare him for the NHL as best he can.

“The challenge will continue to be consistency,” said Malhotra when asked what is next for Pettersson’s development. “That's what being a pro is all about to move on to the next level. But more so as we come down the stretch here, the games are going to mean that much more. The checking is going to get tighter. Everything is going to be amplified. So, just maintaining his play and his execution as things become ramped up is going to be the key for or the next step in his progression.”

Pettersson has 13 points through 36 AHL games and is one of the defenders who eats up the most minutes on the penalty kill along with when the team is defending a lead late in games. Pettersson has consistently been on Abbotsford’s top pairing and mentioned that his time with Mark Friedman as his partner has helped his game grow due to the NHL experience that Friedman has in his career.

The All-Star game in Coachella Valley will give Pettersson a chance to bump elbows with some of the most talented players in the AHL and though he is not sure what skills competition he will be a part of, his teammate Aatu Räty has a good idea of what he would like to see Pettersson compete in.

“If they have a hitting contest, I’ll take him against anyone there,” said Räty with a big laugh.

Jonathan Lekkerimäki scored the game-winning goal in the final minute of the third period.

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Abbotsford Canucks Sweep Six-Game Homestand and Elias Pettersson Speaks on AHL All-Star Nod

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. … The American Hockey League announced today that Abbotsford Canucks forward [Aatu Räty](https://theahl.com/stats/player/8753) has been selected as the Howies Hockey Tape/AHL Player of the Week for the period ending January 19, 2025.

Räty tallied nine points in four contests last week, helping the Canucks wrap up an unbeaten six-game homestand.

On Tuesday, Räty scored one goal and assisted on three others, matching a career high with four points in a 6-3 win over Ontario. He dished out three more assists in Wednesday’s rematch with the Reign, a 5-2 Abbotsford victory. Räty was held scoreless inSaturday’s 3-2 win over San Jose before chipping in a goal and an assist on Sunday as the Canucks beat the Barracuda, 5-4, to set a team record with their sixth straight home victory.

Räty has recorded seven goals and 13 assists for 20 points in 21 games with Abbotsford this season, along with two goals and two assists in 20 NHL outings with Vancouver. The 22-year-old native of Oulu, Finland, has registered 34 goals and 65 assists for 99 points in 147 career AHL games with Abbotsford and Bridgeport since coming to North America near the end of the 2021-22 season.

Originally a second-round pick by the New York Islanders in the 2021 NHL Draft, Räty was acquired by Vancouver via trade on Jan. 30, 2023, and has four goals and three assists in 35 career NHL games between the Islanders and Canucks.

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