Despite never leading, the Abbotsford Canucks skated away with a 3-2 overtime victory in Game 3 against the Colorado Eagles. Victor Mancini and Max Sasson scored in regulation, while Linus Karlsson played hero, by recording the game-winner with 1:13 left in overtime. As for Artūrs Šilovs, he had another impressive outing, stopping 35 of the 37 shots he faced.
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As they have done in every round of the 2025 Calder Cup Playoffs, Abbotsford was able to bounce back after a tough Game 2 loss. While Colorado did take two leads, the Canucks kept fighting, eventually winning the game with under a minute and a half left in overtime. Ultimately, it was another in a long line of impressive performances, moving Abbotsford one step closer to the West Final.
While there were many standouts from this game, the Canucks penalty kill deserves yet another shoutout. Abbotsford went three for three while shorthanded, and have now killed off all 29 penalty kills this post-season. In tight games like the one on Wednesday, the ability to kill penalties become crucial, with the Canucks continuing to show that they can handle whatever is thrown at them.
Moving over to individual standouts, Wednesday's win would not have been possible without the play of Šilovs. As mentioned, he made 35 saves, with 17 of those coming in the third period and overtime. In the end, Šilovs was able to come up with some game-saving moments, as he helped power Abbotsford to a 2-1 series lead.
As for a skater that stood out, Jonathan Lekkerimäki was noticeable throughout the game. He finished with two primary assists, while recording two shots on goal. After a slow start to the playoffs, Lekkerimäki is starting to find his stride, and now has four points over his last two games.
Thanks to their Game 3 win, the Canucks have a chance of punching their ticket to the West Final on Friday. The Pacific Division Final is a best-of-five series, with Games 4 and 5, if needed, taking place in Loveland, Colorado. Puck drop on Friday is scheduled for 6:05 pm PT and can be viewed on FloHockey.
Scoring Summary:
1st Period:
4:22- COL: John Ludvig (2) from Oskar Olausson and Jacob MacDonald
10:27- ABB: Victor Mancini (2) from Jonathan Lekkerimäki
2nd Period:
19:00- COL: Jake Wise (2) from Matthew Phillips
3rd Period:
10:45- ABB: Max Sasson (3) from Jonathan Lekkerimäki and Jett Woo
Overtime:
18:47- ABB: Linus Karlsson (5) from Ty Mueller
Game 4 at Blue Arena: Friday, May 23 @ 6:05 pm PT
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