Skip to content

Abbotsford Canucks post win in Bakersfield

Canucks bounce back on Saturday after 8-2 opening day loss
30730926_web1_221020-ABB-canucks-1_1
The Abbotsford Canucks pour onto the ice after to celebrate after posting a 3-2 win over the Bakersfield Condors on Saturday (Oct. 15). (Abbotsford Canucks photo)

Jeremy Colliton has his first win as bench boss in Abbotsford.

The Abbotsford Canucks comeback 3-2 overtime win over the Bakersfield Condors on Saturday (Oct. 15) is also Colliton’s first win in the American Hockey League since Nov. 4, 2018 when he led the Rockford IceHogs to a 4-2 win over the Iowa Wild.

Rookie Linus Karlsson was the overtime hero on Saturday, stealing the puck from Condors forward James Hamblin and beating goalie Calvin Pickard at 3:09 of the extra frame.

Karlsson’s goal was the cherry on top of a Canucks comeback that saw the team trail 2-0 in the first period and battle back. Vincent Arseneau got Abbotsford on the board with a power play goal at 18:12 to make it a 2-1 game after one.

Forward Carson Focht, who drew into the lineup for the first time for the Canucks this season, then added a goal in the second period to tie the game. Nothing was settled in the third and the game entered overtime.

Abbotsford’s Tristan Nielsen recorded a pair of assists in the win and goalie Arturs Silovs made 25 saves to pick up his first win in his first start this season. Nielsen also led all Canucks with six shots an goal and Abbotsford out shot Bakersfield 37-27.

The win evens Abbotsford’s record on the season to 1-1 after opening the season with an 8-2 loss to the Ontario Reign on Friday (Oct. 14).

The opener saw the Canucks explode in a flurry of offence to go up 2-1 in the first five minutes of – but it was all downhill from there.

Ontario went on to score seven unanswered goals and dominated all aspects of the game to earn the 8-2 win.

Justin Dowling opened the scoring with a power play goal at 1:50 to put Abbotsford up 1-0 but that lead was short lived as the Reign responded 125 seconds later with a goal from Taylor Ward. Rookie Arshdeep Bains grabbed the lead back for Abbotsford just 27 seconds later with his first career professional goal and that’s where the offence was turned off for Abbotsford.

The Canucks trailed 3-2 after one, but the floodgates opened in the second period with the Reign scoring three more. Lias Andersson, T.J. Tynan and Tobias Bjornfot – in a highlight reel goal that saw him deke through the Abbotsford defence – put the game away and the Reign were up 6-2 after two.

Akil Thomas and Aidan Dudas added goals in the third. The game then devolved into a lot of rough stuff with forward Danila Klimovich ejected after a hit from behind on Tynan and other skirmishes occurring. Ontario outshot Abbotsford 46-31 in the game and were clicking on the power play, finishing three for six on the night. The Canucks went one for three with the man advantage.

Canucks starting goalie Collin Delia was yanked late in the third period after allowing his seventh goal, but replacement Arturs Silovs allowed one goal on three shots in his limited playing time. Forward Linus Karlsson was the only Canucks to have a multi-point game (two assists) and he also was tied for the team lead in shots with four. Five Ontario players recorded two or more points.

Abbotsford remains on the road for games against the Coachella Valley Firebirds (in Seattle) on Friday (Oct. 21) and Sunday (Oct. 23). The team’s home opener is set for Oct. 28 vs. the San Diego Gulls.



Ben Lypka

About the Author: Ben Lypka

I joined the Abbotsford News in 2015.
Read more