Abbotsford Win First Calder Cup in 3-2 Comeback Win
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By Doug Hirdle
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Summary:
- The Abbotsford Canucks defeated the Charlotte Checkers 3-2 in Game 6, carrying home their first Calder Cup.
- Goalie Arturs Silovs was the star of the playoffs and took home MVP honors.
- It’s the first Calder Cup win for a Vancouver Canucks affiliate and the first Pacific Division champion since 2015.
The Abbotsford Canucks wrote down their names into the hockey history books, grabbing their first-ever Calder Cup in a dramatic Game 6 comeback against the Charlotte Checkers on Monday night at Bojangles Coliseum.
Arturs Silovs Received the Playoff MVP Title
Charlotte came out hot on home ice, netting the game’s first two goals in the opening period courtesy of John Leonard and Jack Devine. However, the Canucks didn’t flinch.
But Abbotsford didn’t fold. They came roaring back with three straight goals, the last of them coming from Linus Karlsson late in the second period at 17:19 to put them ahead for good.
Sammy Blais and Danila Klimovich also found the back of the net, and while the Canucks were outshot 30-20, they had Arturs Silovs holding it down in goal once again.
The 24-year-old Latvian was a wall throughout the playoffs and was named the Jack A. Butterfield Trophy winner as playoff MVP. Silovs matched a Calder Cup record with 16 wins, five of which were shutouts, while posting a stellar .931 save percentage.
Arshdeep Bains continued his breakout postseason, adding two assists to push his total to 19 helpers, most among all skaters in the playoffs.
Struggling Powerplay for Checkers
The Checkers, who last lifted the Calder Cup in 2019, couldn’t carry their early momentum through the rest of the game. After scoring twice in the first period, they were shut out over the final 40 minutes.
Their power play cracked, going 0-for-4, while Abbotsford cashed in on one of their two chances.
Monday night’s win was the perfect ending to a playoff run built on grit and guts. Just two days after a crushing overtime loss in front of a packed house at Abbotsford Centre, the Canucks proved exactly what they’re made of.
With Manny Malhotra in his first year as head coach, Abbotsford pulled off something no Canadian team has done since 2018, namely, win the Calder Cup.
Malhotra also joined a pretty exclusive club, becoming the first rookie coach to lead a team to the title since Jeff Blashill did it with Grand Rapids in 2013.
Their road to the championship wasn’t easy. They knocked out the Tucson Roadrunners, then took down Coachella Valley, battled past Colorado, and outplayed Texas before finishing the job against Charlotte in the finals.
All told, they went 18-for-70 on the power play, an impressive 25.6 percent efficiency.
Abbotsford also earns the distinction of being the first Vancouver Canucks affiliate, and the first team from the AHL’s Pacific Division, to ever hoist the Calder Cup.
As for Blais, the championship adds to his resume, making him the 133rd player to win both an NHL and AHL title.
“Never Satisfied“, the team’s post-season motto, might need a little tweaking now.
