鈥淏ig Game鈥� Max Sasson potted two goals (and one busted nose) and goalie Spencer Martin earned a shutout as the Abbotsford Canucks posted a 3-0 win over the Bakersfield Condors on Wednesday (April 19) and take a 1-0 lead in the first round best-of-three series.
An uneventful first period saw the Condors have a goal disallowed for kicking and the Canucks struggle to generate much offence. Abbotsford outshot Bakersfield 6-5, but perhaps the most notable play came when Sasson got rocked by Bakersfield鈥檚 Greg McKegg and his visor split his nose open.
Max Sasson with a big cut on his nose but two goals
鈥� Ben Lypka (@BenLypka)
Four stitches and one period later, 鈥淏ig Game鈥� Max struck. The 22-year-old, who last month was playing for Western Michigan University, pounced on a Nils H枚glander rebound and put the Canucks up 1-0 at 1:28 of the second.
Welcome to playoffs, Max Sasson!
鈥� X - Abbotsford Canucks (@abbycanucks)
Sasson scored again after a perfect tic-tac-toe passing play from linemates Kyle Rau and H枚glander at 4:58 of the second. The Canucks amped the intensity and took control of the game in the second, outshooting Bakersfield 12-7.
Checked the weather report and we can confirm that it is MAX SASSON SEASON 鉀堬笍
鈥� X - Abbotsford Canucks (@abbycanucks)
Defencenman and repeat fan favourite award winner Jack Rathbone connected on the power play at 14:28 for a little extra insurance and goalie Spencer Martin held the fort to earn his first-ever AHL playoff shutout and win.
Rathbone with the power play goal, 3-0 Canucks with 5:32 left
鈥� Ben Lypka (@BenLypka)
Abbotsford outshot Bakersfield 30-21, with Rathbone leading the way with five shots. The Rau-H枚glander-Sasson line had an excellent night and all three players had two point nights.
It was a bit of a surprise that goalie Arturs Silovs, the team鈥檚 most valuable did not start, but Canucks head coach Jeremy Colliton said he likes the competition between his two netminders.
"It's a short series... I think both teams felt that pressure."
鈥� X - Abbotsford Canucks (@abbycanucks)
Jeremy Colliton addressed the media following Abbotsford's 3-0 victory over Bakersfield on Wednesday night.
鈥淗e [Martin] was excellent but I think both guys have been excellent,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he competition between the two is what I think pushed them to play their best hockey this season. They both want to play. I don鈥檛 think either guy is totally satisfied with the arrangement, but the team likes it so that鈥檚 what is most important.鈥�
Colliton said both teams were slow to start, but liked his team鈥檚 play as the game continued.
鈥淚 thought enough of the details were done well that allowed us to get a result but we鈥檙e going to need to play better,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e going to be desperate next game for sure. But overall it was a pretty good start for a bunch of guys who don鈥檛 have a ton of experience.鈥�
"That was a great atmosphere, so awesome to see everyone with the rally towels."
鈥� X - Abbotsford Canucks (@abbycanucks)
Max Sasson addressed the media following Abbotsford's 3-0 victory over Bakersfield on Wednesday night.
Sasson praised his linemates and said he believes game two on Friday (April 21) will be a challenge.
鈥淏akersfield is going to come out extremely hard,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hey don鈥檛 want their season to end and it鈥檚 going to take a better effort than tonight to finish them off.鈥�
Sasson also stated that a speech from Abbotsford Canucks general manager Ryan Johnson during a team meeting motivated the club.
鈥淓verything he said about having fun and that you don鈥檛 know how many chances [in playoffs] you鈥檙e going to get really resonated with us,鈥� he said. 鈥淩athbone even said I wish we could play right now. The message was awesome and we were definitely ready to go after that speech.鈥�
"I felt like my game was there... I feel super prepared and comfortable in there."
鈥� X - Abbotsford Canucks (@abbycanucks)
Spencer Martin addressed the media following Abbotsford's 3-0 victory over Bakersfield on Wednesday night.
Martin was complimentary of the team in front of him and noted that he didn鈥檛 really face a lot of dangerous chances. He also said the tandem with Silovs has been good for both guys.
鈥淗e鈥檚 a sick young goalie,鈥� Martin said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 got an extreme high end and he鈥檚 been showing it. It鈥檚 been cool to work with him and Marko [Torenius, Abbotsford goalie coach] and he has some things I鈥檝e been trying to pick up on and maybe the other way around too. It鈥檚 been good and competitive and we鈥檙e both ready to lead.鈥�
1鈨� victory down
鈥� X - Abbotsford Canucks (@abbycanucks)
1鈨�5鈨� remaining
Colliton did not share who will be starting on Friday, but in recent weeks he has been splitting the duties.
Another player who may draw into the lineup on Friday is defenceman Filip Johansson, who joined the team from Sweden earlier this week.
Game two of the series occurs on Friday at 7 p.m. and the Canucks can eliminate Bakersfield with a win. Game three, if necessary, is set for Sunday (April 23) at 7 p.m.
First ever playoff victory 鉁�
鈥� X - Abbotsford Canucks (@abbycanucks)
