It's been a rough end of 2024 and beginning of 2025 for the Abbotsford Canucks.
The club ended 2024 with three combined losses to the Tucson Roadrunners and Calgary Wranglers, then opened 2025 with another loss to the Wranglers and two more to the Laval Rocket on Friday (Jan. 3) and Saturday (Jan. 4).
The six-game losing streak (five regulation and one overtime loss) is the longest winless streak since the club arrived in Abbotsford. The last time a Vancouver affiliate team lost six straight was when the Utica Comets suffered an identical streak in the 2015-16 season. The Comets also had a franchise-record 10 game winless streak to open the season in 2013-14.
The offence has dried up for Abbotsford during the six-game slide, as the team has scored just 12 goals in the run. That trend continued in Friday's 2-1 overtime loss to the Laval Rocket in Quebec.
After a scoreless first period, Laval struck first at 10:13 of the second when Xavier Simoneau beat Canucks goalie Nikita Tolopilo. Abbotsford's Aatu Räty tied the game up about four minutes later and the teams remained tied after 60 minutes.
REBOUND RÄTS 🤩
— Abbotsford Canucks (@abbycanucks)
Laval's Laurent Dauphin then sealed the win for the Rocket with an overtime goal at 1:05 of the extra frame. Tolopilo made 27 saves in the loss and the Canucks penalty kill was a perfect 6/6.
Final from overtime.
— Abbotsford Canucks (@abbycanucks)
Saturday saw Tolopilo struggle and allow five goals on 25 shots in a 6-2 Canucks loss.
The Rocket opened up a 2-0 lead after one, but Abbotsford's Tristen Nielsen scored his sixth at 1:37 to cut the lead to one. Laval added a late goal in the second to go up 3-1 after two.
Tristen with a rocket against the rocket! 🚀
— Abbotsford Canucks (@abbycanucks)
Abbotsford allowed two more goals in the first 10 minutes of the third, with Ty Mueller scoring his fifth goal of the season to make it 5-2 late in the third. The Rocket added an empty net goal to reach the 6-2 score.
Both teams recorded 26 shots on goal, with Linus Karlsson recording a team-high five shots. Arshdeep Bains, John Stevens, Carsen Twarynski and Christian Wolanin were all -2 on the night.
The losing streak has now placed the Canucks at 14-15-1-1 on the season and they sit in the seventh and final playoff spot in the Pacific Division.
General Manager Patrik Allvin announced today that F Dakota Joshua has been placed on IR (retroactive to Jan. 3, 2025) and F Jonathan Lekkerimäki has been recalled from Abbotsford (AHL) on emergency basis.
— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks)
The team will also likely be without forward Jonathan Lekkerimäki, who was recalled to Vancouver in place of the injured Dakota Joshua on Monday (Jan. 6). Vancouver also recalled goalie Arturs Silovs for the injured Thatcher Demko.
The Canucks return home for games against the Henderson Silver Knights on Friday (Jan. 10) and Saturday (Jan. 11). Saturday's game is being promoted as Vancouver Canucks Night and will feature Vancouver alumni