Abbotsford's Strong Special Teams Sparks Series Lead in Calder Cup Finals

The Abbotsford Canucks picked up their first home-ice win of the Calder Cup Finals on Tuesday night with an impressive 6-1 victory sparked by a perfect night on special teams.

After trailing at the first intermission, the Canucks went to the power play early in the second period, and as they have all playoffs long, they made the most of their man-advantage.

There have been 62 power play opportunities for the Canucks through 21 playoff games, and they have scored a league-leading 16 power play goals. Their 25.8% conversion percentage on the power play ranks second among playoff teams who played more than three games and has been even better on home ice, converting on 29% of their power plays.

Linus Karlsson and Sammy Blais – Abbotsford’s two power play scorers on Tuesday – lead the league with four man-advantage goals apiece.

Fourth-year Canuck Arshdeep Bains leads the AHL playoffs with seven power play assists and knows the value of confidence in their special teams’ units.

“It’s a good feeling when we draw one. They’re going to probably make some adjustments, and they’re going to probably try to stay out of the box,” said Bains. “You can’t take penalties on us because that’s always a threat. It’s an exciting feeling for us to get out there.”

Bains and Karlsson have spent the past four years developing their power play chemistry, and it shows, as that connection has combined on nearly half of the Canucks’ man-advantage goals during these playoffs.

“There are a lot of guys who have been here for three or four years, and we’ve been waiting for our opportunity to really make a statement. This year, we’ve really stepped up with all the guys and our coaching staff,” said Bains.

“Karly and myself, we’ve been pretty good players together, and there’s been a lot of pushing each other over the years. When we get to play together, it’s pretty special when we get to share the ice and make stuff happen.”

Bains also spoke about how important Christian Wolanin is to the power play unit. He calls him one of the best in the league at walking the line and being able to either get pucks on net or work the puck around the zone with pace.

Special teams continue to be a strength for the Canucks in these playoffs, and it’s not just the power play that has been impressive. The Canucks’ penalty kill has killed off 89.4% of their penalties this postseason.

And when you hear the players and coaches talk about the boost that they get from the fans at the Abbotsford Centre, it shows up during their penalty kills.

The Canucks have been shorthanded 33 times at the Abbotsford Centre during the postseason and have killed off all 33 penalties.

In fact, the Canucks have outscored their opposition on home ice while shorthanded in these playoffs, as Chase Wouters scored in the opening round of the playoffs.

“I can’t say enough about our crowd. They continue to amaze us,” said head coach Manny Malhotra. “I can’t talk enough about how much energy the guys feed off of this building. It’s electrifying. It’s a great atmosphere for hockey. We’re privileged to play in front of fans like this.”

Game four of the best-of-seven series takes place Thursday night in Abbotsford, and although the Canucks hold a 2-1 lead in the series, the room was locked in on Tuesday night. They are acutely aware that the Charlotte Checkers will be attempting to punch back on Thursday, but Abbotsford will be ready.

Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. PT, and you can watch the game on FloHockey or listen to the radio broadcast on Sportsnet 650 and the Sportsnet Radio Network.