One of the best offensive periods in team history fueled the Abbotsford Canucks to a dominant 6-0 win over the Ontario Reign inside the Abbotsford Centre on Thursday (Dec. 21).
Arshdeep Bains put the Canucks up 1-0 after one, but then the floodgates completely opened in the second period.
Bains opens the scoring, great forechecking by that line on this shift
鈥� Ben Lypka (@BenLypka)
The Canucks scored five goals in 8:53, chased starting Ontario goalie Erik Portillo from the crease and tied a club record for most goals in one period.
It all started when newly-acquired defenceman Nick Cicek scored his first as a Canuck at 1:41. Then Tristen Nielsen showed off his silky hands and potted his seventh at 3:03.
Cicek with his first goal as a Canuck, 2-0 Abbotsford
鈥� Ben Lypka (@BenLypka)
Nielsen with some filthy moves, 3-0 Abbotsford
鈥� Ben Lypka (@BenLypka)
Linus Karlsson contributed with his seventh at 6:03 showing off his skilled hands down low on the power play at 6鈥�03 and then John Stevens made it 5-0 at 7:17. That goal led Ontario to yank Portillo, but the Canucks weren鈥檛 any kinder to replacement goalie Jacob Ingham. He was beat by Sheldon Dries at 10:34. Dries now leads the team with 13 goals.
Karlsson on the power play, great hands down low. 4-0 Abbotsford
鈥� Ben Lypka (@BenLypka)
The third period featured the Canucks playing safe and smart hockey and Arturs Silovs made several big saves to record his third shutout on the season. Silovs now has eight shutouts in his AHL career and he made 34 stops on Thursday.
Defenceman Cole McWard had his best offensive game in his AHL career with three points, while Bains, Dries, Nielsen and Quinn Schmiemann all had two point nights. Abbotsford outshot Ontario 42-34 and both Karlsson and Stevens led the way with four shots. Schmiemann and McWard were also a team best +4.
6 goals, 2 points and a shutout鈥�
鈥� Abbotsford Canucks (@abbycanucks)
Christmas came early! 馃巵
The Abbotsford penalty kill also had a strong night, killing off all five power play opportunities for the Reign.
Abbotsford鈥檚 record now jumps to 16-8-2-0 and for the moment have leapfrogged into first place in the AHL鈥檚 Pacific Division. They are also now riding a three-game win streak.
The Canucks now have a week off and next travel to Calgary for games against the Wranglers on Dec. 28 and 29. The next home game for the club is on Jan. 12, when the Tucson Roadrunners come to the AC.
