CANUCKS SHUTOUT 6-0 BY THE MOOSE IN FINAL GAME OF REGULAR SEASON
WINNIPEG, MB — The Abbotsford Canucks (39-23-5-1) were unable to finish the regular season on a high note after being shutout 6-0 by the Manitoba Moose (41-24-5-2) at the Canada Life Centre on Saturday. It is the final day of the AHL’s regular season.
A regulation win for Abbotsford would have secured them in the No. 3 spot in the Pacific Division. A single point, on the other hand, would have guaranteed home-ice advantage.
The Canucks end their inaugural regular season with 84 points. The Colorado Eagles have 85 points, which means they will finish in the No. 3 spot.
Abbotsford will have to wait for the conclusion of the 6:00PM PST game between the Stockton Heat and the Bakersfield Condors. The Condors have 82 points.
The team with home-ice advantage will host all three games in first round of the 2022 AHL Calder Cup playoffs.
A victory by Bakersfield would mean that the Condors finish in the No. 4 spot, securing home-ice advantage, and will face the Canucks in a best-of-three series in first round of the playoffs.
However, a victory by Stockton would mean the Canucks would face the Condors in a best-of-three series in the first round of the playoffs, but Abbotsford would finish in the No. 4 spot and be rewarded with home-ice advantage.
If this is the case, 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 at the confines of the Abbotsford Centre.
The Moose did their part to play spoiler for the Canucks.
Manitoba forward Haralds Egles scored his fifth goal of the season at 3:57 of the first period. Forwards Nicholas Jones and Cole Maier got the assists.
Forward Mikey Eyssimont doubled the lead for the Moose when he scored on the power play for his 16th goal of the season at 17:30 after Canucks forward Sheldon Rempal took a roughing penalty. Forwards Jeff Malott (18) and Luke Johnson (7) had the assists.
Shots are 11-4 after the first period for Manitoba.
The Moose kept the pressure on.
Jones scored his 12th goal of the season at 7:17 of the second period. Maier had the lone assist.
Eyssimont netted his second goal of the game just 3:14 later. Defensemen Ville Heinola and Johnathan Kovacevic notched the assists.
Canucks defenceman Jett Woo had an opportunity to get Abbotsford on the board after being tripped on a breakaway at 13:46 but couldn’t capitalize.
Shots for 10-6 in the second period in favour of Abbotsford.
Eyssimont completed the hat trick at 14:21 of the third period to put the Moose up 5-0. Forward Daniel Torgersson got the only assist, which was his first in the AHL.
Forward Kristian Vesalainen then scored his third goal of the season, which was shorthanded, at 17:12. Jones had the lone assist, which marked his third point of the game.
Moose goaltender Mikhail Berdin made 20 saves for his fourth shutout of the season. Canucks goaltender Mike DiPietro made 20 saves on 26 shots.
Manitoba finished 1-for-3 on the power play while Abbotsford couldn’t capitalize on five opportunities.
Abbotsford will play Bakersfield in the first round of the playoffs.
When? Where? One thing is for sure, if the Canucks have home-ice advantage, the series will begin on Wednesday.
Let the playoffs begin.
We live for this.
NEWS AND NOTES
- The Vancouver Canucks have assigned forwards Vasily Podkolzin and Will Lockwood, along with goaltenders Spencer Martin and Arturs Silovs to Abbotsford on Saturday. Forwards Sheldon Dries and Nic Petan, meanwhile, have been placed on waivers for the purpose of being re-assigned as well.
- Forward Will Lockwood missed the Vancouver Canucks’ final three games of the season with an upper-body injury.
- Goaltender Spencer Martin was awarded with the Vancouver Canucks championship belt after making 33 saves in the team’s 3-2 overtime victory over the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday. He has a 2.43 goals-against average and a .914 save percentage, along with three shutouts, in 25 games with Abbotsford this season.
BOXSCORE
https://theahl.com/stats/game-center/1023055
THREE STARS
FIRST STAR — MB’s Mikey Eyssimont (a hat trick, a plus-2 rating and four shots on net)
SECOND STAR — MB’s Mikhail Berdin (20 saves for his fourth shutout of the season)
THIRD STAR — MB’s Cole Maier (two assists, a plus-2 rating along with one shot on net)