Canucks sweep Eagles after 5-2 victory on Wednesday night
For the fourth time in six nights, the Abbotsford Canucks took to the ice at Abbotsford Centre, squaring off with the Colorado Eagles on Wednesday night.
Quinn Schmiemann made his season debut on Wednesday, replacing Matt Irwin as he slotted alongside Filip Johansson on the blue line. Artūrs Šilovs got the nod from Jeremy Colliton as he started in between the pipes. Arvid Holm started in goal for Colorado, replacing Justus Annunen from Tuesday’s clash.
The puck was dropped and the final game of Abbotsford’s opening home stand was underway.
Colorado decided to change the script from Tuesday, as the visitors jumped out to an early 1-0 lead. Brad Hunt let a slapshot go from just inside the blue line and beat Šilovs, grabbing his first of the year.
The Eagles’ lead would last just 1:36, as Christian Wolanin broke forward with the puck through the neutral zone, before springing Chase Wouters. Wouters drove to the net, before sliding the puck over to Aidan McDonough who steered it home. McDonough’s second of the year was his first at Abbotsford Centre, tying the game up at 1-1.
Four minutes later, just before the midway mark of the opening frame, Arshdeep Bains tallied his second of the year, this time coming on the man advantage. After Vasily Podkolzin and Sheldon Dries works the puck around Holm, Bains jumped on a rebound from a sharp angle and beat the outstretched netminder to give Abbotsford the lead.
The Canucks took that lead into the locker room, holding a 2-1 advantage after 20 minutes.
Abbotsford picked up where they left off, as Filip Johansson flung a shot from the blue line towards Holm with traffic in front. The puck was turned aside, but fell perfectly to the stick of Wouters, who jammed one into the half empty net for his second of the campaign as well.
Colorado would pull one back minutes later, as Hunt picked up his second on the night after squeaking a wrap around through the legs of Šilovs, bringing the Eagles to within one.
The hosts rallied back with a pair of late ones, starting with a goal from Marc Gatcomb to re-establish the two goal lead. Aatu Räty intercepted a Colorado pass at the blue line and turned goalwards. He fed the puck to Gatcomb who deflected it under the arm of Arvid Holm, and wheeled away in celebration.
The scoring continued late into the period, as Šilovs made a long, stretch pass from just outside his crease to the blue line where he connected with Linus Karlsson. Karlsson stormed in and blasted his shot between the legs of Holm, making it a 5-2 Abbotsford lead. The assist would be Šilovs’ first in his AHL career, while the goal would be Karlsson’s second of the season.
5-2 is how the second, and then also the third period, would end. Abbotsford would see out their second consecutive win, sweeping the Eagles in back to back nights.
Chase Wouters picked up his eighth career multi-point game, while Christian Wolanin extended his point streak to nine points in six games. Artūrs Šilovs stopped 28 of the 30 Eagles chances he saw, while Holm turned aside 24 of Abbotsford’s 29 shots.
The Canucks now head south for a three-game California road trip, stopping in San Diego on Friday night and Ontario on Sunday afternoon. The trip wraps up on Tuesday with a first ever visit to Coachella Valley to face the Firebirds on Halloween night. The Canucks then return home for a four game home stand where they’ll face the Henderson Silver Knights on November 3rd and 4th (Diwali Night), and the Bakersfield Condors on November 9th and 11th. To purchase tickets to an upcoming Canucks’ game, please click HERE.