CANUCKS SHOW NO QUIT, DEFEAT HEAT 5-4 IN OT TO EXTEND WIN STREAK TO EIGHT
STOCKTON, CA — The Abbotsford Canucks just refuse to tap out.
Abbotsford has shown numerous times during the season, that whatever the situation, it will battle until the score clock sounds with the final buzzer.
The Canucks especially showed that when they defeated the San Diego Gulls 5-4 in overtime on Wednesday.
The team was on the third of a four-game road trip. They had been waiting for the Gulls in Diego for four days. Having that many days off, it could cause any team to be rusty and it showed. Abbotsford trailed 4-1 after two periods against San Diego.
Despite this, Abbotsford was able to battle back and defeat the Gulls to remain unbeaten on the road trip. Canucks forward Justin Bailey had the hat trick, which included the overtime winner.
Just two nights later, Abbotsford’s final stop was scheduled against the Stockton Heat. The Heat came in to the game, with a 44-14-4-2 record for 94 points. They were looking to clinch the Pacific Division with a win.
Stockton also needed to the Colorado Eagles to defeat the Ontario Reign, who played on the same night.
The Eagles did defeat the Reign 6-4 and the Heat was on the brink of clinching the Pacific Division. After what was a back-and-fourth game, the Heat had a 4-3 lead with 8:55 left in the third period. Canucks forwards Jarid Lukosevicius, Justin Bailey and Justin Dowling had the goals for Abbotsford up to this point.
Not so fast. Abbotsford had other ideas.
Dowling scored his second goal of the game at 16:32 and fifth of the season to tie it. Forward Sheldon Rempal and defenceman Brandon Hickey got the assists. Overtime, once again, was needed.
Rempal, who has proven to be one of the team’s most prolific goal scorers, netted his No. 31 goal of the season and the game winner at 3:26 of the overtime period. Forward John Stevens had the lone assist.
With the Canucks (38-21-5-1) 5-4 overtime victory over the Heat (44-14-5-2), it extended the Canucks league-high winning streak to eight games.
It looks more and more as the days go by, that the Canucks will have home-ice advantage in the first round of the 2022 AHL Calder Cup playoff tournament.
UP NEXT
The Abbotsford Canucks will play host to the Bakersfield Condors at the Abbotsford Centre on Tuesday. It will be the Canucks’ final home game of the regular season. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00PM PST.
NEWS AND NOTES
The Canucks announced dates for first round of the 2022 AHL Calder Cup playoffs, which is a best-of-three series. Game one will be on May 4, game two will be May 6 and if necessary, game three will be on May 7. All games are scheduled for 7:00PM PST.
Canucks forward Phil Di Giuseppe, who has been out since suffering a lower-body injury in the team’s 5-4 victory over the Colorado Eagles on March 13, returned to the lineup. He had an assist and two shots on net.
Canucks forward Sheldon Rempal finished with a goal and an assist. That extended his point streak (six goals and eight assists) to a season-high eight games. He had a plus-3 rating and with four shots on net as well.
Abbotsford goaltender Michael DiPietro made 26 saves in his 14th win of the season. That extended his win streak to five games as well.
Abbotsford forward Justin Bailey finished with a goal which extended his point streak (five goals and two assists) to five games. He had a plus-3 rating and four shots on net as well.
Canucks forward Jarid Lukosevicius scored his 10th goal of the season and led the team with five shots on net.
Abbotsford forward John Stevens finished with two assists. He has six goals and seven assists over his last 10 games.
Canucks forward Justin Dowling finished with two goals and a plus-1 rating. He has four goals and three assists over his last four games.
Abbotsford defenceman Jack Rathbone finished with an assist and a plus-1 rating. He has three goals and 12 assists over his last 10 games.
Canucks defenceman Noah Juulsen finished with an assist. It was his 14th of the season.
Abbotsford defenceman Guillaume Brisebois finished with an assist. It was his fifth of the season. He had a plus-1 rating.
Canucks defenceman Ashton Sautner finished with an assist and a plus-1 rating. He has points, both being assists, in consecutive games.
Abbotsford defenceman Brandon Hickey finished with an assist and a plus-1 rating.
Canucks defenceman Devante Stephens was kept out of the lineup due to injury.
Abbotsford released goaltender Matt Zenzola from his professional tryout agreement on Thursday. He served as the Canucks’ backup goaltender in the team’s 5-4 overtime victory over the San Diego Gulls on Wednesday.
Happy Birthday to Abbotsford defenceman Madison Bowey, who turned 27-years-old on Friday.
BOXSCORE
https://theahl.com/stats/game-center/1023719
THREE STARS
FIRST STAR — ABB’s Sheldon Rempal (overtime-winning goal, an assist, a plus-3 rating and with four shots on net)
*SECOND STAR — ABB’s Justin Dowling (two goals and a plus-1 rating)
THIRD STAR — STK’s Jakob Pelletier (four assists and a plus-1 rating)