The Abbotsford Canucks’ season is on the line tonight as they prepare to take on the Tucson Roadrunners in game 3 of their first-round series. They won game 1 in a 4-3 thriller, but dropped game 2 4-1. Abbotsford, who has made the Calder Cup Playoffs all four seasons since joining the AHL in 2021, has made it past the first round twice. Only one of these instances came off a Game 3 win. Let’s take a look at Abbotsford’s record in round one of the Calder Cup Playoffs.
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2022: 0–2 Vs. Bakersfield Condors
Abbotsford made the playoffs in their inaugural season by sliding into the Pacific division’s fifth seed. Their opponent, the fourth-seeded Bakersfield Condors, took them down in two games despite both matches being separated by only one goal. In game 1, Vasily Podkolzin scored the lone goal, while former Canuck Tim Schaller assisted on the Condors’ overtime winner 6:39 into the extra frame. Former Abbotsford goaltender Spencer Martin tried his best, making 45 saves on 47 shots, but the AHL Canucks were ultimately unable to generate the goal they needed to take game 1.
Game 2 of this series followed a similar pattern. Sheldon Dries opened the scoring 15:54 into the first period, though Abbotsford’s lead was cut by a goal from Adam Cracknell near the end of the second frame. Bakersfield took the lead 4:39 into the third, but it was soon neutralized by a goal from Sheldon Rempal. Cooper Marody scored with less than two minutes left in the game to win the series for the Condors.
2023: 2–0 Vs. Bakersfield Condors
A season after being swept by the Condors, Abbotsford came out and reversed their first round series outcome. This time, the AHL Canucks were the fourth seed, while Bakersfield was the fifth. Abbotsford opened the series up with a commanding 3–0 win with goals coming from Nils Höglander, Max Sasson, and Jack Rathbone. Martin stopped 21 shots for his first Calder Cup Playoff shutout.
In game 2, Abbotsford took a two-goal lead in the second period with tallies from blueliners Rathbone and Brady Keeper. Condors James Hamblin and Raphael Lavoie scored in the second and third respectively to tie the game 2–2. However, a goal from Höglander nearly four minutes after Bakersfield’s tying tally gave Abbotsford the lead back. John Stevens added an empty net goal to help the AHL Canucks off to their first second round appearance in franchise history.
2024: 2–1 Vs. Colorado Eagles
In their first first-round series not against the Condors, Abbotsford took on the Colorado Eagles. Once again, Abbotsford finished the season fifth in the Pacific division. Game 1 went to the AHL Canucks in a back-and-forth affair with Arshdeep Bains opening the scoring less than two minutes into the first period. Eagles forward Cal Burke tied it for Colorado, but a second period tally from Sheldon Dries gave Abbotsford the lead once more. Ivan Ivan brought the score back to 2–2, but Captain Chase Wouters and Linus Karlsson found the back of the net to win game 1 for the AHL Canucks.
Abbotsford very well could have won game 2, but a goal by Chris Wagner 3:06 into overtime won the Eagles the second game. Prior to that, the AHL Canucks overcame a 4–1 deficit with goals from Christian Wolanin, Akito Hirose, and Karlsson. Aatu Räty scored the lone first-period tally for Abbotsford and added an assist on the 4–3 goal.
Overtime went the other way for the AHL Canucks in game 3. Once again, Wouters pocketed the game-winning goal for Abbotsford, scoring 8:46 in overtime to help his team advance to the second round. Abbotsford goaltender Zach Sawchenko was marvelous, stopping 47 of 48 shots faced.
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