Abbotsford Canucks at Bakersfield Condors Preview

Feb 15th 2022

TV: ahltv.com

RADIO: comedy800.iheart.com

MATCH-UP INFO

Fresh off four consecutive wins at home, the Abbotsford Canucks (19-15-3-1) hit the road for a mid-week matchup against the Bakersfield Condors (20-10-4-3) Wednesday at 6:30pm PT.
Wednesday marks the fifth of eight meetings between Abbotsford and Bakersfield this season: Oct. 16 (5-3 L), Jan. 6 (6-2 L), Jan. 7 (4-3 OTL), Jan. 9 (4-0 L), Feb. 16 (road), Mar. 19 (road), Apr. 16 (road), TBD from Jan. 10 (home).
The Abbotsford Canucks have a 0-3-1-0 all-time record in four games against Bakersfield.
Among active Canucks skaters, Sheldon Rempal leads the team in points against the Condors this season with four (1-3-4).

QUICK NUMBERS

Defenceman Jack Rathbone enters the game as the AHL’s reigning Player of the Week. The 22 year-old notched 10 points (3-7-10) in four games last week.
Rathbone leads Canucks’ defenders with 19 points (5-14-19) through 18 games this season.
Sheldon Dries leads the Canucks in goals with 22 this season. Dries also leads Abbotsford with 39 points (22-17-39) through 33 games. He sits in a two-way tie with Ontario forward Martin Frk in league goals this season, with 22. Only Chicago’s Stefan Noesen (23) has more.
Sheldon Rempal sits second on the Canucks in goals (18) and points (18-19-37) this season. Rempal’s 18 goals are tied for eighth most in the American Hockey League.
John Stevens is riding a four-game point streak for Abby, highlighted by a four-point night (2-2-4) in Saturday’s 5-2 win over Manitoba.
Stevens is in the midst of a career-year with Abby, with 21 points (10-11-21) through 38 games.
After picking up seven points (2-5-7) in Abbotsford’s six-game homestand, second-year forward Will Lockwood improved his point totals to 19 this season (8-11-19).
Canucks’ goaltender Spencer Martin picked up three wins in five night for Abby last week, improving his season record to 8-1-2 while registering a 2.53 goals against average and .911 save percentage.

LAST MEETING – Jan. 9/22: BAK 4 vs ABB 0

The Abbotsford Canucks were shutout by the Bakersfield Condors, 4-0 on Sunday afternoon at Abbotsford Centre. Stuart Skinner earned the clean sheet for the visitors and Arturs Silovs was credited with the loss for the Canucks… The Condors sprinted out of the blocks tonight, applying pressure on both ends of the ice from the opening puck drop. Bakersfield outshot Abbotsford 13-6 in the opening 20 minutes, and ultimately scored the first goal at the 11:33 mark, never looking back… Five of the 16 skaters in the game for Abby were signed to PTO’s… Silovs turned aside 27 of Bakersfield’s 31 shots in the losing effort… Justin Bailey led the Canucks with three shots on goal.

LAST GAME– Feb. 12/22: MAN 2 vs ABB 5

The Abbotsford Canucks (19-15-3-1) continue to dominate at home in their green threads, winning 5-2 against the Manitoba Moose (25-14-2-1) on Saturday… The victory was the fourth consecutive for Abbotsford, with all four coming on home ice. Michael DiPietro was victorious in net… It was déjà vu for the Canucks on Saturday night, as they got on the board early in the first period. Jack Rathbone stayed hot as the blueliner opened the scoring for the Canucks at the 2:03 mark of the first period… Stevens doubled the Canucks’ lead at the 6:53 mark of the first period… Matt Alfaro got the Moose back in the game, scoring at the 9:06 mark in the second period to make it a 3-1 game… The glimmer of hope did not last long however, as the Canucks put the hammer down at the 16:06 mark of the second period. John Stevens scored his second goal of the game to give Abbotsford a 4-1 lead… Phil Di Giuseppe iced the game with an empty net goal, extending the Canucks lead to 5-2.

RECENT TRANSACTIONS

• Noah Juulsen reassigned to Abbotsford, Feb. 14

• Justin Dowling assigned to Abbotsford, Feb. 11

• Ashton Sautner reassigned to Abbotsford, Feb. 11

• Guillaume Brisebois reassigned to Abbotsford, Feb. 7

• Noah Juulsen recalled to Vancouver, Feb. 7

• Ashton Sautner recalled to Vancouver, Feb. 7

(W)RATHBONE

Jack Rathbone is living up to the expectations of being a top prospect and put the league on notice after picking up AHL Player of the Week honours this past week. The 22-year-old blueliner has posted 19 points (5-14-19) through 18 games this season. When healthy, he has been a spark plug offensively for the team on the powerplay and during full strength situations. Rathbone, along with teammate Sheldon Rempal, set the Abby franchise record for five points (1-4-5) in a single game against the Tucson Roadrunners on Feb. 7. Jack is the leader among Canucks’ defencemen in points and points-per-game.

DRIES IS ON FIRE

Sheldon Dries has lit the lamp an incredible 22 times through 33 games this season. Dries set a franchise record last week with four goals in the Canucks emphatic 8-2 win over Manitoba Friday. Arguably the most consistent player for Abby this season, the Western Michigan alum enters play Wednesday with 10 points through his last five games.

JOHN STEVENS IMPRESSING

John Stevens is in the midst of a career year with the Abbotsford Canucks. Highlighted by a four-point night for the Canucks Saturday against Manitoba, the 27 year-old centreman extended his point total to 21 (10-11-21) this season. Even more impressive, all of Stevens’ four points Saturday came at five-on-five.

RECENT CANUCKS MILESTONES

Devante Stephens played his 100th career AHL game, Feb. 4 vs. Stockton

Madison Bowey recorded his 50th career AHL assist, Jan. 30 at Manitoba

Sheldon Rempal recorded his 100th career AHL point, Jan. 29 at Manitoba

Yushiro Hirano recorded his first career AHL goal, Jan. 22 vs San Diego

Joe Murdaca recorded first career AHL win, Jan. 22 vs San Diego

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