WOUTERS’ TWO GOALS LIFTS CANUCKS TO WIN OVER MOOSE

Winnipeg, MB - Chase Wouters collected his first multi-goal game of his AHL career to lift the Abbotsford Canucks to a 5-2 win over the Manitoba Moose Saturday at Canada Life Centre.

Abbotsford's 22 year-old Captain scored equalizing goals in the first and second periods before defenceman Jett Woo scored his second goal of the season midway through the third as the Canucks pulled off a comeback win for a consecutive day over Manitoba.

The win, which was the final game in 2022 for both teams, improved Abbotsford to an 18-9-1-1 record this season. The loss dropped Manitoba to 16-9-2-1.

Abbotsford’s victory snapped a nine-year win streak for Manitoba on New Year’s Eve games.

Canucks’ goaltender Arturs Silovs picked up 13 saves to extend his career high win streak to five games. In the process, the Latvian netminder improved his overall record to 12-5-2 this season.

Manitoba’s Oskari Salminen made 28 saves to move to 8-5-1.

Abbotsford’s Nils Höglander scored his first AHL goal in the game, while Justin Dowling also added a goal. It was Dowling’s fourth consecutive game with a goal (4G-4A-8P).

Similar to Friday’s game, the Moose scored the opening goal, as forward Cole Maier netted his eighth goal of the season courtesy of an Evan Polei pass just six minutes into the game.

Wouters returned the favour just four minutes later, however, batting home the equalizer for his fourth goal of the season at the midway mark of the first. Linus Karlsson and Höglander grabbed the assists, which were their second points in as many games.

The Moose would regain the lead late in period one, as Evan Polei wristed a shot just outside the Canucks crease and past Silovs to make it 2-1 for the home team.

Into the second period, Wouters once again found the equalizer for the Canucks. The Canucks’ captain cleaned up a rebound off Salminen in the slot for his fifth goal of the season and second of the game. The goal marked Wouters’ first career multi-goal game in the American Hockey League.

Later, the Canucks took their first lead of the game midway through the third. Klimovich fed Winnipeg native Jett Woo for his second goal of the season off the rush and past Salminen to bring the score to 3-2.

The Canucks would lean on their excellence in the defensive side of the game for the remainder of the period, limiting Manitoba to just three shots in the third.

Höglander and Dowling would each add empty netters late in the final frame as the Canucks closed out 2022 on a four game win-streak.

The win saw the Canucks improve to a 3-1-0 record against the Moose this season.

To view the full box score, click HERE.

The Canucks will now travel to Calgary for a pair of games against the Wranglers on Monday, January 2nd and Wednesday, January 4th, before returning to Abbotsford Centre for a pair of games against the Henderson Silver Knights beginning Friday, January 6th.

To purchase tickets to an upcoming Abbotsford Canucks game, click HERE.

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