No team has logged more playoff miles than the <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/abbotsford-canucks-notebook-what-learned-through-three-games-colorado-eagles">Abbotsford Canucks</a>, logging four grueling rounds from team&#8217;s all over Western North America.
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They’ve now landed in Charlotte’s Bojangles’ Coliseum, facing a <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/6-things-abbotsford-canucks-expect-charlotte-checkers-ahead-ahl-calder-cup-final">Charlotte Checkers</a> team that’s been a buzzsaw, tearing through the Eastern Conference with an eight-game win streak and two straight series sweeps.
For the Canucks, it’s about cementing their incredible 2024-25 story after a stunning second-half run that now includes 13 postseason victories.
For the Checkers, it’s about keeping their home ice untouchable and flexing their well-rested firepower.
The muggy Charlotte air and a sold-out crowd set the stage for a chaotic, double overtime thriller, capped by a clutch snipe from a hero making a name for himself as Mr. Clutch.
It was far from a pretty game, but the Canucks clawed back for a victory in a game they may not have had any business being in the first place.
From being outplayed to dodging an oddball call to a 51-save bounceback performance from <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/vancouver-canucks-arturs-silovs-stats-game-2s-downright-wild">Arturs Silovs</a>, this game had it all.
<blockquote>Starting lineup</blockquote>
With most of the lineup predicted, the primary focus revolved around the rookie forward, <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/vancouver-canucks-lekkerimakis-low-shot-volume-starting-hinder-playoff-success">Jonathan Lekkerimäki</a>, and whether he’d be included in the lineup for Game 1. But after defeating the Texas Stars in six games, Manny Malhotra chose to stick with a winning formula.
That meant Danila Klimovich remained in the top six, while more mature and perhaps more equipped for bottom-six deployment forwards, such as Dino Kambeitz, were stuck on the fourth line.
As expected, Arturs Silovs got the nod between the pipes.
Di Giuseppe – Sasson ‐ Karlsson 
Bains – Mueller – Klimovich 
Blais – Khaira– Smith 
Nielsen – Wouters – Kambeitz
Brisebois – Mancini 
Wolanin – Woo 
Hirose – Kudryavtsev
Silovs
<blockquote>First period: A shaky start and a late sting</blockquote>
The game opened with both teams feeling each other out, trading sloppy passes in a neutral-zone stalemate.
Charlotte, rusty from a two-week layoff, looked off, but the Canucks weren’t much sharper.
But once the lines began to roll, tensions seemed to ease, and the game opened up and provided good entertainment for the Bojangles faithful.
Sammy Blais broke the ice with the game&#8217;s first shot. Following a good cycle down low in the offensive zone, Blais picked up the series’ opening shot at the netfront, sending a shot up high on Checkers’ netminder Kaapo Kähkönen.
<img decoding="async" src="https://media.giphy.com/media/KruwmendR2A9cacHjs/giphy.gif" />
Standing tall to catch it in the chest, the Checkers countered, as Jesse Puljujärvi torched rookie Kirill Kudryavtsev wide. But Arturs Silovs was there to flash a spectacular glove save, channelling his inner Patrick Roy to show the puck to the crowd.
That stop sparked Abbotsford as just moments later, Trevor Carrick’s cross-check handed them a power play.
The first minute of the advantage was shaky — lost pucks, botched entries — but the Canucks turned things around quickly.
Abbotsford goal – 1-0 – Max Sasson from Sammy Blais and Kirill Kudryavtsev
<a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/kirill-kudryavtsev-young-playing-major-role-abbotsford-canucks-calder-cup-success">Kirill Kudryavtsev</a> brought the play up the ice, dropping the puck to a streaking Max Sasson.
Sasson dropped it to <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/hes-leading-by-example-vancouver-canucks-sammy-blais-leading-ahl-playoffs-points">Sammy Blais</a>, who made a tremendous and patient play around the defender to test Kähkönen.
Unable to handle the initial shot, Sasson banged home the rebound to open the series’ scoring and silence the crowd early in Game 1.
<img decoding="async" src="https://media.giphy.com/media/gf1fYPsNU47WEi7CNS/giphy.gif" />
The visiting team was only able to enjoy their high for a short time, as MacKenzie Entwistle struck back quickly to tear away any momentum gained by the Canucks.
Charlotte goal – 1-1 – MacKenzie Entwistle from Jesse Puljujärvi and Matt Kiersted
Breaking up the ice off a Puljujärvi chip play, Entwistle used an Abbotsford defender as a shield, sniping short side past a screened Silovs to tie it 1-1.
<img decoding="async" src="https://media.giphy.com/media/rzl8Z8e3Cj8PzY1OhK/giphy.gif" />
And the pain deepened when Danila Klimovich’s high stick drew blood just seconds off the ensuing faceoff, earning a four-minute double minor.
<img decoding="async" src="https://media.giphy.com/media/dZ2IhctXKzrxXcZ0Da/giphy.gif" />
With all the buzz of scoring an equalizer goal, their first goal in weeks, Charlotte’s power play would go to work for the first time.
The Checkers unleashed six shots, pinging a post, but Silovs stood tall.
<img decoding="async" src="https://media.giphy.com/media/7FUrtg3ArgyrzBtPhv/giphy.gif" />
While they failed to score, the combination of a goal and the man advantage struck life into the building, and the game fell into the hands of the home team.
With a 14-8 shot advantage through 20 minutes, the Canucks truly felt as if they were hanging on to their Game 1 lives.
Muggy weather conditions certainly did not help their case, as pucks were bouncing uncontrollably, leading to several odd-man chances and close calls.
One issue when facing unfamiliar enemies is the uncertainty of citations, including the opposing team&#8217;s unknown arena conditions.
But the Canucks held on, nearly coming out the period unscathed.
That was until the final seconds, when the entire line elected for an untimely line change, setting up for an unnecessary charge the other way.
That late Canucks line change allowed Michael Benning to spring Oliver Okuliar free, fighting an unexpecting Guilliuame Brisebois fighting for position.
Charlotte goal – 2-1 – Oliver Okuliar from Michael Benning and Matt Kiersted
His seemingly harmless shot beat Silovs clean, handing Charlotte a 2-1 lead and a dagger to close the period.
<img decoding="async" src="https://media.giphy.com/media/tLAUSH7MWm3mYaECRL/giphy.gif" />
It was a very tough ending to a period where the Canucks would have felt lucky to head down the tunnel even. Breakouts were short, defenders were getting burned, and the goalie allowed two goals off long-distance shots.
Shots: ABB 8, CHA 14 | Score: ABB 1, CHA 2
<blockquote>Second Period: Hemmed in, but hanging on</blockquote>
The middle frame didn’t start much better for Abbotsford, who looked stuck in quicksand for much of the frame.
Breakouts fizzled, and the Canucks spent the first five minutes pinned in their zone, unable to clear the puck and gasping for air.
With nothing but momentum on their side, the Checkers smelled blood, and Justin Sourdif – the former Vancouver Giant – pounced to make them pay.
Charlotte goal – 3-1 – Justin Sourdif from Kyle Criscuolo
Off another botched clear, a common occurrence through the first half of the period, Sourdif’s long-range shot sailed high past Silovs, pushing the lead to 3-1.
<img decoding="async" src="https://media.giphy.com/media/7XFZpbBkm2K1nVKoOa/giphy.gif" />
The Latvian netminder, a playoff hero up to this point, looked mortal, with all three goals beating him clean from stoppable shots.
But these Abbotsford Canucks are resilient, and down but not out, they refused to let up on the game as the Canucks found a pulse just moments later.
Abbotsford goal – 3-2 – Nate Smith from Sammy Blais
Creeping behind the backend was Nate Smith, who collected the perfect breakout dish, splitting the defence and going all alone on the netminder.
One-on-one with Kähkönen, Smith lofted a beauty over the goalie’s shoulder, trimming the gap to 3-2 and quieting the roaring crowd.
<img decoding="async" src="https://media.giphy.com/media/hhRsqHMEMiYJnbqGHW/giphy.gif" />
That was Abbotsford’s only shot through 11 minutes, a stark contrast to Charlotte’s early second-period barrage.
After swapping penalties, the Canucks were awarded with a four-minute power play midway through the period, giving Abbotsford a prime opporutny to tie.
And Blais nearly did, pulling a slick curl-and-drag to beat Kähkönen — only to clang the crossbar.
<img decoding="async" src="https://media.giphy.com/media/6Y9WLF2QRhH79hieAA/giphy.gif" />
But the period wasn&#8217;t done. With time winding down, the Canucks evened the score early, with Christian Wolanin making the cross-ice attempt. The puck ricocheted off the defender&#8217;s skate, nearly beating Kähkönen with the redirect.
Saving the day was former Canuck, William Lockwood, who hauled down Sasson to send the Canucks on the late power play.
<img decoding="async" src="https://media.giphy.com/media/XlU3VE0idABumibAs5/giphy.gif" />
With time winding down, Justin Sourdif stripped the puck and jumped out to the races. Providing solid back pressure was Kirill Kudryavtsev, but Silovs was forced to make an incredible stretch save to keep his team within one goal.
<img decoding="async" src="https://media.giphy.com/media/1XKjXtvaS1Y9dwoGGU/giphy.gif" />
The Canucks survived the period’s defensive slog, but not without drama. Somehow clawing back, they managed to take a one-goal deficit into the dressing room.
Up to this point, this was a win in itself, considering the performance on the ice.
Shots: ABB 15, CHA 26 | Score: ABB 2, CHA 3
<blockquote>Third Period: A gritty push to overtime</blockquote>
Carrying a late second-period spark, the Canucks opened the third on a power play but managed just one shot and failed to threaten.
One thing to note from the Checkers during this postseason run is their incredible track record for shorthanded goals. Heading into Game 1, they had scored a league-leading six shorthanded goals, and that tracked in this game.
Playing extremely aggressive, they pushed the Canucks for several shorthanded looks. Whether it be clear-cut breakaways or high-danger chances off the rush, the Checkers were pressuring down a man.
While it’s something the Canucks were likely brought up to speed on, they experience firsthand just how dangerous these Checkers can be.
As the power play expired, Tristen Nielsen seized a puck from Ty Mueller. He went wide and dropped a shoulder for the game’s first true power move, signalling a potential shift in the game’s momentum.
<img decoding="async" src="https://media.giphy.com/media/JIRA4pw7iZ8UaUTxgM/giphy.gif" />
And that’s precisely what it was.
The third was Abbotsford’s best period yet. And midway through, that promising start eventually led to something.
Abbotsford goal – 3-3 – Ty Mueller from Tristen Nielsen
Ty Mueller intercepted a failed Charlotte breakout to gain the zone. He played give-and-go with Nielsen, who threaded it back.
Battling out front, Mueller managed to get a stick on the puck and chipped in past Kähkönen with his pitching wedge to even the score at 3-3, turning a playoff-low start into a dead-even battle.
<img decoding="async" src="https://media.giphy.com/media/xpAHJ3PyDgk2aowtvG/giphy.gif" />
From that point on, it was all Canucks as the ice tilted toward Charlotte’s end, with Abbotsford dictating play.
A sixth power play offered a go-ahead chance, but Charlotte’s aggressive penalty kill nearly struck again, generating breakaways that Silovs snuffed out.
The Canucks’ strongest frame forced overtime, proving their grit.
Despite being outplayed in one of the worst efforts early on, the Canucks turned the dial for the third and crawled back into this game to take it extra time.
By this point, it was nearly impossible to predict what would happen.
Would the team with nearly two weeks of rest prevail, or would it be a Canucks team that has grinded through four consecutive rounds of playoff hockey?
Shots: ABB 23, CHA 31 | Score: ABB 3, CHA 3
<blockquote>Overtime: Tense and tentative</blockquote>
The first overtime was a chess match, with no shots through seven minutes as both teams played mistake-free hockey.
Danila Klimovich broke the lull, ripping a one-timer off a Linus Karlsson feed in the slot, only to ping the post.
<img decoding="async" src="https://media.giphy.com/media/ETqvqUcEtfQ5AnzOmS/giphy.gif" />
Abbotsford’s first shot finally came at 11:31, but tension spiked when Phil Di Giuseppe’s high-sticking penalty at 13:45 put them on the kill.
Charlotte pressed, forcing Silovs to make his best saves of the night.
<img decoding="async" src="https://media.giphy.com/media/5MLiLzy4EkpJkfC0lF/giphy.gif" />
Meanwhile, Ty Mueller nearly won it shorthanded, stealing a puck and going forehand-backhand, only to be denied by Kähkönen’s five-hole pad.
<img decoding="async" src="https://media.giphy.com/media/MP7w8eLqNr47yMTLG3/giphy.gif" />
With two power plays to work with, the Checkers grabbed back all momentum and enjoyed a ridiculous 16-3 shooting advantage.
Suddenly, what began as an off night for Arturs Silovs had morphed into a night for the ages with 47 shots faced up to that point.
Shots: ABB 26, CHA 47 | Score: ABB 3, CHA 3
<blockquote>Double Overtime: Chaos and a hero</blockquote>
Double overtime felt destined for an unlikely hero — and it nearly got a bizarre one.
Brace yourself, folks. You may never see this again.
Just before the four-minute mark, a faceoff to Silovs’ right was scheduled to drop, with all players dipping down with their game faces on.
The problem was that Arturs Silovs was in his own world, enjoying a quick refill on his water after over four hard-fought periods.
Unaware that the netminder was facing the net, the linesman dropped the puck, which was won cleanly by Ty Mueller.
Too cleanly.
<img decoding="async" src="https://media.giphy.com/media/psxP68IPFOEQIQKwfw/giphy.gif" />
The puck zipped past a water-sipping Silovs. The Checkers’ bench erupted, and the crowd roared as this one was over in their eyes.
However, in a rare AHL call, the referees deliberated before waving off the goal, ruling that Silovs was unprepared. This sent Bojangles’ fans into a booing frenzy.
From then on, every Silovs touch drew jeers, only amplifying when he stoned Charlotte’s next chances.
And Silvos was touching the puck, alright.
<img decoding="async" src="https://media.giphy.com/media/yN1IJJK6XaVCkfR30F/giphy.gif" />
That overturned call flipped the script.
Frustrated, the Checkers took a delay-of-game penalty moments later, and Abbotsford pounced.
Abbotsford goal – 4-3 – Danila Klimovich from Max Sasson
After a commendable dig in the corner, Danila Klimovich circled below the goal line and fired a sharp-angle shot that caught Kähkönen off guard, sealing a 4-3 victory for the <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/farmies-klimovichs-jaw-dropping-game-winning-ot-goal-abby-canucks-one-win-away-calder-cup-final">second double overtime game-winning goal in the last four games.</a>
<img decoding="async" src="https://media.giphy.com/media/tZU8gaKOh31EtibfJy/giphy.gif" />
The Canucks’ bench exploded, stealing Game 1 on the road in one of the wildest finishes of the postseason.
It was the perfect ending to an oddball game that saw a little bit of everything.
Despite being outplayed for most of the first half, and an overtime period, the Canucks stole Game 1 and enter Sunday with a sneaky 1-0 series lead.
Final shots: ABB 30, CHA 54 | Final score: ABB 4, CHA 3
<blockquote>Final Thoughts</blockquote>
What a way to open the Calder Cup Finals.
The Abbotsford Canucks, battle-tested through four grueling rounds, stared down a 3-1 deficit, a hostile crowd, and their own early blunders to pull off a double overtime stunner.
Danila Klimovich’s clutch snipe and Arturs Silovs’ 51 saves — including clutch stops in overtime — got things done in the end.
While the Canucks may have been outplayed, they came up big when asked, and went a perfect 5/5 on the penalty kill, while scoring two power play goals of their own.
Special teams are always big, and tonight, that proved it all.
As they say, they don’t ask how.
Charlotte’s eight-game streak and home-ice swagger made them formidable, but the Canucks’ resilience shone brighter. And that overturned own-goal? It’s a bizarre twist that will live in the American League history books forever, as everybody feverishly searches the rule book for an official ruling.
With Game 2 looming, Abbotsford has a chance to tighten its grip, but the Checkers won’t go quietly.
Here is Manny Malhotra himself postgame.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
“I can’t say it enough about our group, how resilient they are, in terms of finding a way to get things done.”
Head Coach Manny Malhotra addressed the media following tonight’s 4-3 come from behind double overtime victory! <a href="https://t.co/nLcjIssO1K">pic.twitter.com/nLcjIssO1K</a>
&mdash; X &#8211; Abbotsford Canucks (@abbycanucks) <a href="https://twitter.com/abbycanucks/status/1933751797040005285?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 14, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote>What’s next?</blockquote>
Game 2 is scheduled for a Father’s Day Sunday afternoon bout, with puck drop at 1:00 pm PT at the Bojangles Coliseum.
Sponsored by bet365
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No team has logged more playoff miles than the <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/abbotsford-canucks-notebook-what-learned-through-three-games-colorado-eagles">Abbotsford Canucks</a>, logging four grueling rounds from team's all over Western North America.
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They’ve now landed in Charlotte’s Bojangles’ Coliseum, facing a <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/6-things-abbotsford-canucks-expect-charlotte-checkers-ahead-ahl-calder-cup-final">Charlotte Checkers</a> team that’s been a buzzsaw, tearing through the Eastern Conference with an eight-game win streak and two straight series sweeps.

For the Canucks, it’s about cementing their incredible 2024-25 story after a stunning second-half run that now includes 13 postseason victories.

For the Checkers, it’s about keeping their home ice untouchable and flexing their well-rested firepower.

The muggy Charlotte air and a sold-out crowd set the stage for a chaotic, double overtime thriller, capped by a clutch snipe from a hero making a name for himself as Mr. Clutch.

It was far from a pretty game, but the Canucks clawed back for a victory in a game they may not have had any business being in the first place.

From being outplayed to dodging an oddball call to a 51-save bounceback performance from <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/vancouver-canucks-arturs-silovs-stats-game-2s-downright-wild">Arturs Silovs</a>, this game had it all.
<blockquote>Starting lineup</blockquote>
With most of the lineup predicted, the primary focus revolved around the rookie forward, <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/vancouver-canucks-lekkerimakis-low-shot-volume-starting-hinder-playoff-success">Jonathan Lekkerimäki</a>, and whether he’d be included in the lineup for Game 1. But after defeating the Texas Stars in six games, Manny Malhotra chose to stick with a winning formula.

That meant Danila Klimovich remained in the top six, while more mature and perhaps more equipped for bottom-six deployment forwards, such as Dino Kambeitz, were stuck on the fourth line.

As expected, Arturs Silovs got the nod between the pipes.

Di Giuseppe – Sasson ‐ Karlsson
Bains – Mueller – Klimovich
Blais – Khaira– Smith
Nielsen – Wouters – Kambeitz

Brisebois – Mancini
Wolanin – Woo
Hirose – Kudryavtsev

Silovs
<blockquote>First period: A shaky start and a late sting</blockquote>
The game opened with both teams feeling each other out, trading sloppy passes in a neutral-zone stalemate.

Charlotte, rusty from a two-week layoff, looked off, but the Canucks weren’t much sharper.

But once the lines began to roll, tensions seemed to ease, and the game opened up and provided good entertainment for the Bojangles faithful.

Sammy Blais broke the ice with the game's first shot. Following a good cycle down low in the offensive zone, Blais picked up the series’ opening shot at the netfront, sending a shot up high on Checkers’ netminder Kaapo Kähkönen.

<img src="https://media.giphy.com/media/KruwmendR2A9cacHjs/giphy.gif" />

Standing tall to catch it in the chest, the Checkers countered, as Jesse Puljujärvi torched rookie Kirill Kudryavtsev wide. But Arturs Silovs was there to flash a spectacular glove save, channelling his inner Patrick Roy to show the puck to the crowd.

That stop sparked Abbotsford as just moments later, Trevor Carrick’s cross-check handed them a power play.

The first minute of the advantage was shaky — lost pucks, botched entries — but the Canucks turned things around quickly.

Abbotsford goal – 1-0 – Max Sasson from Sammy Blais and Kirill Kudryavtsev

<a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/kirill-kudryavtsev-young-playing-major-role-abbotsford-canucks-calder-cup-success">Kirill Kudryavtsev</a> brought the play up the ice, dropping the puck to a streaking Max Sasson.

Sasson dropped it to <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/hes-leading-by-example-vancouver-canucks-sammy-blais-leading-ahl-playoffs-points">Sammy Blais</a>, who made a tremendous and patient play around the defender to test Kähkönen.

Unable to handle the initial shot, Sasson banged home the rebound to open the series’ scoring and silence the crowd early in Game 1.

<img src="https://media.giphy.com/media/gf1fYPsNU47WEi7CNS/giphy.gif" />

The visiting team was only able to enjoy their high for a short time, as MacKenzie Entwistle struck back quickly to tear away any momentum gained by the Canucks.

Charlotte goal – 1-1 – MacKenzie Entwistle from Jesse Puljujärvi and Matt Kiersted

Breaking up the ice off a Puljujärvi chip play, Entwistle used an Abbotsford defender as a shield, sniping short side past a screened Silovs to tie it 1-1.

<img src="https://media.giphy.com/media/rzl8Z8e3Cj8PzY1OhK/giphy.gif" />

And the pain deepened when Danila Klimovich’s high stick drew blood just seconds off the ensuing faceoff, earning a four-minute double minor.

<img src="https://media.giphy.com/media/dZ2IhctXKzrxXcZ0Da/giphy.gif" />

With all the buzz of scoring an equalizer goal, their first goal in weeks, Charlotte’s power play would go to work for the first time.

The Checkers unleashed six shots, pinging a post, but Silovs stood tall.

<img src="https://media.giphy.com/media/7FUrtg3ArgyrzBtPhv/giphy.gif" />

While they failed to score, the combination of a goal and the man advantage struck life into the building, and the game fell into the hands of the home team.

With a 14-8 shot advantage through 20 minutes, the Canucks truly felt as if they were hanging on to their Game 1 lives.

Muggy weather conditions certainly did not help their case, as pucks were bouncing uncontrollably, leading to several odd-man chances and close calls.

One issue when facing unfamiliar enemies is the uncertainty of citations, including the opposing team's unknown arena conditions.

But the Canucks held on, nearly coming out the period unscathed.

That was until the final seconds, when the entire line elected for an untimely line change, setting up for an unnecessary charge the other way.

That late Canucks line change allowed Michael Benning to spring Oliver Okuliar free, fighting an unexpecting Guilliuame Brisebois fighting for position.

Charlotte goal – 2-1 – Oliver Okuliar from Michael Benning and Matt Kiersted

His seemingly harmless shot beat Silovs clean, handing Charlotte a 2-1 lead and a dagger to close the period.

<img src="https://media.giphy.com/media/tLAUSH7MWm3mYaECRL/giphy.gif" />

It was a very tough ending to a period where the Canucks would have felt lucky to head down the tunnel even. Breakouts were short, defenders were getting burned, and the goalie allowed two goals off long-distance shots.

Shots: ABB 8, CHA 14 | Score: ABB 1, CHA 2
<blockquote>Second Period: Hemmed in, but hanging on</blockquote>
The middle frame didn’t start much better for Abbotsford, who looked stuck in quicksand for much of the frame.

Breakouts fizzled, and the Canucks spent the first five minutes pinned in their zone, unable to clear the puck and gasping for air.

With nothing but momentum on their side, the Checkers smelled blood, and Justin Sourdif – the former Vancouver Giant – pounced to make them pay.

Charlotte goal – 3-1 – Justin Sourdif from Kyle Criscuolo

Off another botched clear, a common occurrence through the first half of the period, Sourdif’s long-range shot sailed high past Silovs, pushing the lead to 3-1.

<img src="https://media.giphy.com/media/7XFZpbBkm2K1nVKoOa/giphy.gif" />

The Latvian netminder, a playoff hero up to this point, looked mortal, with all three goals beating him clean from stoppable shots.

But these Abbotsford Canucks are resilient, and down but not out, they refused to let up on the game as the Canucks found a pulse just moments later.

Abbotsford goal – 3-2 – Nate Smith from Sammy Blais

Creeping behind the backend was Nate Smith, who collected the perfect breakout dish, splitting the defence and going all alone on the netminder.

One-on-one with Kähkönen, Smith lofted a beauty over the goalie’s shoulder, trimming the gap to 3-2 and quieting the roaring crowd.

<img src="https://media.giphy.com/media/hhRsqHMEMiYJnbqGHW/giphy.gif" />

That was Abbotsford’s only shot through 11 minutes, a stark contrast to Charlotte’s early second-period barrage.

After swapping penalties, the Canucks were awarded with a four-minute power play midway through the period, giving Abbotsford a prime opporutny to tie.

And Blais nearly did, pulling a slick curl-and-drag to beat Kähkönen — only to clang the crossbar.

<img src="https://media.giphy.com/media/6Y9WLF2QRhH79hieAA/giphy.gif" />

But the period wasn't done. With time winding down, the Canucks evened the score early, with Christian Wolanin making the cross-ice attempt. The puck ricocheted off the defender's skate, nearly beating Kähkönen with the redirect.

Saving the day was former Canuck, William Lockwood, who hauled down Sasson to send the Canucks on the late power play.

<img src="https://media.giphy.com/media/XlU3VE0idABumibAs5/giphy.gif" />

With time winding down, Justin Sourdif stripped the puck and jumped out to the races. Providing solid back pressure was Kirill Kudryavtsev, but Silovs was forced to make an incredible stretch save to keep his team within one goal.

<img src="https://media.giphy.com/media/1XKjXtvaS1Y9dwoGGU/giphy.gif" />

The Canucks survived the period’s defensive slog, but not without drama. Somehow clawing back, they managed to take a one-goal deficit into the dressing room.

Up to this point, this was a win in itself, considering the performance on the ice.

Shots: ABB 15, CHA 26 | Score: ABB 2, CHA 3
<blockquote>Third Period: A gritty push to overtime</blockquote>
Carrying a late second-period spark, the Canucks opened the third on a power play but managed just one shot and failed to threaten.

One thing to note from the Checkers during this postseason run is their incredible track record for shorthanded goals. Heading into Game 1, they had scored a league-leading six shorthanded goals, and that tracked in this game.

Playing extremely aggressive, they pushed the Canucks for several shorthanded looks. Whether it be clear-cut breakaways or high-danger chances off the rush, the Checkers were pressuring down a man.

While it’s something the Canucks were likely brought up to speed on, they experience firsthand just how dangerous these Checkers can be.

As the power play expired, Tristen Nielsen seized a puck from Ty Mueller. He went wide and dropped a shoulder for the game’s first true power move, signalling a potential shift in the game’s momentum.

<img src="https://media.giphy.com/media/JIRA4pw7iZ8UaUTxgM/giphy.gif" />

And that’s precisely what it was.

The third was Abbotsford’s best period yet. And midway through, that promising start eventually led to something.

Abbotsford goal – 3-3 – Ty Mueller from Tristen Nielsen

Ty Mueller intercepted a failed Charlotte breakout to gain the zone. He played give-and-go with Nielsen, who threaded it back.

Battling out front, Mueller managed to get a stick on the puck and chipped in past Kähkönen with his pitching wedge to even the score at 3-3, turning a playoff-low start into a dead-even battle.

<img src="https://media.giphy.com/media/xpAHJ3PyDgk2aowtvG/giphy.gif" />

From that point on, it was all Canucks as the ice tilted toward Charlotte’s end, with Abbotsford dictating play.

A sixth power play offered a go-ahead chance, but Charlotte’s aggressive penalty kill nearly struck again, generating breakaways that Silovs snuffed out.

The Canucks’ strongest frame forced overtime, proving their grit.

Despite being outplayed in one of the worst efforts early on, the Canucks turned the dial for the third and crawled back into this game to take it extra time.

By this point, it was nearly impossible to predict what would happen.

Would the team with nearly two weeks of rest prevail, or would it be a Canucks team that has grinded through four consecutive rounds of playoff hockey?

Shots: ABB 23, CHA 31 | Score: ABB 3, CHA 3
<blockquote>Overtime: Tense and tentative</blockquote>
The first overtime was a chess match, with no shots through seven minutes as both teams played mistake-free hockey.

Danila Klimovich broke the lull, ripping a one-timer off a Linus Karlsson feed in the slot, only to ping the post.

<img src="https://media.giphy.com/media/ETqvqUcEtfQ5AnzOmS/giphy.gif" />

Abbotsford’s first shot finally came at 11:31, but tension spiked when Phil Di Giuseppe’s high-sticking penalty at 13:45 put them on the kill.

Charlotte pressed, forcing Silovs to make his best saves of the night.

<img src="https://media.giphy.com/media/5MLiLzy4EkpJkfC0lF/giphy.gif" />

Meanwhile, Ty Mueller nearly won it shorthanded, stealing a puck and going forehand-backhand, only to be denied by Kähkönen’s five-hole pad.

<img src="https://media.giphy.com/media/MP7w8eLqNr47yMTLG3/giphy.gif" />

With two power plays to work with, the Checkers grabbed back all momentum and enjoyed a ridiculous 16-3 shooting advantage.

Suddenly, what began as an off night for Arturs Silovs had morphed into a night for the ages with 47 shots faced up to that point.

Shots: ABB 26, CHA 47 | Score: ABB 3, CHA 3
<blockquote>Double Overtime: Chaos and a hero</blockquote>
Double overtime felt destined for an unlikely hero — and it nearly got a bizarre one.

Brace yourself, folks. You may never see this again.

Just before the four-minute mark, a faceoff to Silovs’ right was scheduled to drop, with all players dipping down with their game faces on.

The problem was that Arturs Silovs was in his own world, enjoying a quick refill on his water after over four hard-fought periods.

Unaware that the netminder was facing the net, the linesman dropped the puck, which was won cleanly by Ty Mueller.

Too cleanly.

<img src="https://media.giphy.com/media/psxP68IPFOEQIQKwfw/giphy.gif" />

The puck zipped past a water-sipping Silovs. The Checkers’ bench erupted, and the crowd roared as this one was over in their eyes.

However, in a rare AHL call, the referees deliberated before waving off the goal, ruling that Silovs was unprepared. This sent Bojangles’ fans into a booing frenzy.

From then on, every Silovs touch drew jeers, only amplifying when he stoned Charlotte’s next chances.

And Silvos was touching the puck, alright.

<img src="https://media.giphy.com/media/yN1IJJK6XaVCkfR30F/giphy.gif" />

That overturned call flipped the script.

Frustrated, the Checkers took a delay-of-game penalty moments later, and Abbotsford pounced.

Abbotsford goal – 4-3 – Danila Klimovich from Max Sasson

After a commendable dig in the corner, Danila Klimovich circled below the goal line and fired a sharp-angle shot that caught Kähkönen off guard, sealing a 4-3 victory for the <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/farmies-klimovichs-jaw-dropping-game-winning-ot-goal-abby-canucks-one-win-away-calder-cup-final">second double overtime game-winning goal in the last four games.</a>

<img src="https://media.giphy.com/media/tZU8gaKOh31EtibfJy/giphy.gif" />

The Canucks’ bench exploded, stealing Game 1 on the road in one of the wildest finishes of the postseason.

It was the perfect ending to an oddball game that saw a little bit of everything.

Despite being outplayed for most of the first half, and an overtime period, the Canucks stole Game 1 and enter Sunday with a sneaky 1-0 series lead.

Final shots: ABB 30, CHA 54 | Final score: ABB 4, CHA 3
<blockquote>Final Thoughts</blockquote>
What a way to open the Calder Cup Finals.

The Abbotsford Canucks, battle-tested through four grueling rounds, stared down a 3-1 deficit, a hostile crowd, and their own early blunders to pull off a double overtime stunner.

Danila Klimovich’s clutch snipe and Arturs Silovs’ 51 saves — including clutch stops in overtime — got things done in the end.

While the Canucks may have been outplayed, they came up big when asked, and went a perfect 5/5 on the penalty kill, while scoring two power play goals of their own.

Special teams are always big, and tonight, that proved it all.

As they say, they don’t ask how.

Charlotte’s eight-game streak and home-ice swagger made them formidable, but the Canucks’ resilience shone brighter. And that overturned own-goal? It’s a bizarre twist that will live in the American League history books forever, as everybody feverishly searches the rule book for an official ruling.

With Game 2 looming, Abbotsford has a chance to tighten its grip, but the Checkers won’t go quietly.

Here is Manny Malhotra himself postgame.

https://twitter.com/abbycanucks/status/1933751797040005285
<blockquote>What’s next?</blockquote>
Game 2 is scheduled for a Father’s Day Sunday afternoon bout, with puck drop at 1:00 pm PT at the Bojangles Coliseum.

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