The Abbotsford Canucks completed a perfect six for six home stand and disposed of the San Jose Barracuda and added an exclamation mark with a dramatic 5-4 win at the Abbotsford Centre on Sunday (Jan. 18).
Rookie forward Jonathan Lekkerim盲ki was the hero as he tore apart a 4-4 tie game with just 38 seconds left in regulation. Aatu R盲ty made a perfect cross-ice to a wide-open Lekkerim盲ki, who beat San Jose goalie Gabriel Carriere to clinch the win.
Huge goal by Lekkerimaki, amazing pass by Raty. 5-4 late
鈥� Ben Lypka (@BenLypka)
The six game streak is Abbotsford's longest win streak this season and has erased a six-game losing streak that proceeded it.
The win was made even more impressive after a poor start by the Canucks saw them fall behind 2-0 early. The Barracuda scored twice on the first three shots they fired at Abbotsford goalie Arturs Silovs, but the Canucks battled back.
Karlsson sets up Aman for a PPG
鈥� Ben Lypka (@BenLypka)
McWard ties the game up, nice dish by Lekkerimaki
鈥� Ben Lypka (@BenLypka)
Nils 脜man scored on the power play at 14:12 of the first and Cole McWard tied the game up at 17:13.
The second period saw R盲ty add another power play goal at 1:54 and that lead lasted until San Jose locked the game back up at 16:51.
Raty on the power play, 3-2 Abbotsford
鈥� Ben Lypka (@BenLypka)
The Canucks were then victims of a very unfriendly home building bounce just seven seconds into the third, but Linus Karlsson tied the game up again just 72 seconds later. The game remained tied until Lekkerim盲ki's heroics at the end of the game.
Lekkerim盲ki recorded three points in the win and he now has 20 points in 22 games as an AHL rookie. R盲ty, 脜man and Karlsson all had two point nights. Lekkerim盲ki was also a team-best +2.
Silovs made 22 saves for his third straight win. Reported attendance on Sunday was 4,086.
Lekkerim盲ki is now third in the AHL for rookie goals with 13. 脜man had a productive weekend and now leads Abbotsford in points with 24. R盲ty is now up to 20 points in 21 games, while Karlsson has collected 18 points in 17 games.
SWEEP COMPLETE 馃Ч
鈥� Abbotsford Canucks (@abbycanucks)
Sunday's win comes off a 3-2 win over the Barracuda on Saturday (Jan. 17).
Karlsson, Nate Smith and 脜man scored in Saturday's win, while Nikita Tolopilo made 34 saves for the win. The Canucks had a 2-0 lead midway through the second period and never trailed on Saturday.
NO WAY, SAN JOSE 馃檯
鈥� Abbotsford Canucks (@abbycanucks)
The win streak has catapulted the Canucks into sixth place in the Pacific Division and they sit just one point out of fourth place and three points out of third.
The Canucks now hit the road and next travel to the desert to take on the Tucson Roadrunners on Friday (Jan. 24) and Saturday (Jan. 25). The next home game for the club is on Jan. 31 when the Calgary Wranglers come to town.
