The Canucks Fall 2-1 Against the Calgary Wranglers
The Abbotsford Canucks returned home for the first time since the All-Star break, and they are taking on the Calgary Wranglers for their Flaunt Your Flannel Game.
The lineup looks slightly different tonight for the Canucks as Arshdeep Bains has joined the Vancouver Canucks. Sheldon Dries slots back into his usual spot for the first time since December 29th, and he will center Tristen Nielsen and Vasily Podkolzin. Linus Karlsson joins Max Sasson and Aatu Räty. Dmitri Zlodeev also rejoins the lineup, and he will play alongside John Stevens and Marc Gatcomb, rounding out the forwards are Jermaine Loewen, Chase Wouters, and Cooper Walker.
Arturs Šilovs starts in net tonight for the Canucks, and standing strong in front of him are defensive pairs Nick Cicek and Jett Woo, Matt Irwin and Cole McWard and Chad Nychuk with Alex Kannok Leipert. Dustin Wolf returns to the Wranglers lineup and he will get the start between the pipes for Calgary.
Both teams came out to play tonight. The goalies held strong in the first, stopping every shot that came their way. Tensions were also high after Tristen Nielsen and Cole Schwindt dropped the gloves, which left Abbotsford on a short powerplay, but wasn't able to register a goal. They went into the second period scoreless.
Heading into the second, the Canucks and Wranglers were both looking to get something going. After a a bunch of penalties back and forth between the teams, ultimately, Calgary was able to capitalize off a hooking call for Aatu Räty, where William Stromgren was able to sneak one past Šilovs, to put the Wranglers up 1-0. The Abbotsford Canucks did not ease up, rather they kicked it into high gear and had consecutive chances on net, but Dustin Wolf held on to maintain the Wranglers' lead.
The Canucks looked to even the scoring in the third, to be able to take home a victory. After a scoreless first half of the period, Jonathon Aspirot who set up Cole Schwindt in front of the net to put the Wranglers up 2-1, with 4 minutes left in the third. Shortly thereafter, Marc Gatcomb picked up the rebound from John Stevens who was able to net his 6th of the season and first of the game to cut the Wranglers lead in half.
A tough battle until the end, but the Wranglers came up victorious in a 2-1 win over the Canucks. Abbotsford will face the Wranglers once again on Monday for our Family Day game, where they look to bounce back, and hope to climb the Pacific division standings.
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