Abbotsford Canucks earn three of four points in Calgary

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The long simmering rivalry between the Abbotsford Canucks and the Calgary Wranglers reached a boiling point on Sunday (Dec. 14), with the two teams combining for 109 penalty minutes and Calgary earning a 4-3 overtime win.

Despite Sunday’s loss, it was a successful weekend for the Canucks – who earned three of four possible points on the Alberta trip after a 3-2 overtime win on Saturday (Dec. 13).

Abbotsford’s Jonathan Lekkerimaki opened the scoring on Sunday when he beat Calgary goalie Connor Murphy at 3:50 of the first period. Lekkerimaki has been extremely effective offensively in the AHL this season and already has five goals and eight points in seven games. He ranks tied for third on the team in goals even though he’s seen limited action in Abbotsford.

Canucks defenceman Victor Mancini made it 2-0 at 17:46 after a fantastic end-to-end rush during an Abbotsford power play. Abbotsford goalie Nikita Tolopilo recorded the assist on Mancini’s goal and it was his first career AHL helper.

The violence meter went up for some of the first and second periods with Abbotsford’s Jett Woo and Calgary’s Andrew Basha fighting in the first. Canucks forward Danila Klimovich and Calgary’s Alex Gallant also received roughing penalties during that first period scrum.

The second period was scoreless, but fighting penalties went to Abbotsford’s Vilmer Alriksson and Joseph LaBate, along with Calgary’s Parker Bell and Nick Cicek. Gallant, Bell and Alriksson also received game misconducts in the middle frame – Gallant for being an aggressor in an incident and both Alriksson and Bell for starting a secondary altercation. Cicek was assessed 12 minutes for instigating and five for fighting.

Abbotsford dominated the second period on the shot clock and out shot Calgary 17-4, but were unable to score. Abbotsford also had a 14-11 shots edge in the first.

Calgary battled back in the third period and quickly took a 3-2 lead with three goals under nine minutes. Daniil Miromanov (1:58), Clark Bishop (8:11) and Rory Kerins (8:39) turned the game around for the Wranglers. However, Canucks captain Chase Wouters tied the game back up with a clutch goal at 16:48 to send the game to overtime.

Cicek went on to score the game winner at 4:15 of overtime to earn Calgary the extra point. Abbotsford out shot Calgary 41-28 in the game and Lekkerimaki had a team-high nine shots to go with two points.

Saturday saw Kerins score the lone goal of the first period to put Calgary up 1-0, but the Canucks answered back with goals from Nick Poisson and Mackenzie MacEachern in the second. The second period also featured Gallant dropping the gloves with Wouters.

Calgary’s Etienne Morin tied the game up at 5:43 of the third to send the game to overtime, but Lekkerimaki was the hero at 1:06 of the extra frame to give the Canucks the win.

Abbotsford again out shot Calgary 33-27 and goalie Jiri Patera posted his third win on the season.

The Canucks record moves to 6-15-2-3 on the season and they remain in 10th place in the Pacific Division.

The club returns home for games against the Tucson Roadrunners on Friday (Dec. 19) and Saturday (Dec. 20).

Friday’s game is being promoted as the ‘Grinchmas Game’, with green beer, special snacks and an appearance from the character himself. Saturday has been billed the Christmas Game, with an ugly sweater contest, Christmas socks for the first 1,500 fans and an appearance from Saint Nick.

For more on the games, visit abbotsford.canucks.com.