Canucks Snap Skid in Tucson with Resilient Weekend Split
The Abbotsford Canucks wrapped up their six-game road trip with a two-game set against the Tucson Roadrunners - and after five straight losses, they badly needed a bounce-back. Tucson, sitting near the bottom of the Western Conference standings themselves, offered an opportunity for Abbotsford to reset. And while Friday’s game didn’t go their way, Saturday brought the kind of response that could help shift momentum heading into a key homestand.
Let’s break down both matchups - one that got away, and one that might just get things back on track.
Game One: Canucks Start Fast, But Tucson Finishes Strong
If you only watched the first period of Friday’s game, you’d think Abbotsford was on the verge of breaking out. They came out flying, outshooting Tucson 17-6 and generating chance after chance, especially on the power play. The Roadrunners were sloppy with penalties early, and the Canucks took full advantage in terms of puck possession and pressure - just not on the scoreboard.
But hockey’s a 60-minute game, and Tucson made the most of the final 40.
The Roadrunners started turning the tide in the second, and it was veteran forward Andrew Agozzino who broke the deadlock late in the period. With Tucson on the power play, Ben McCartney floated a perfect saucer pass across the zone, and Agozzino didn’t miss - going far side over rookie netminder Aku Koskenvuo to make it 1-0.
Early in the third, another Canucks penalty - this time a cross-check from Mackenzie MacEachern - gave Tucson another chance on the man advantage. And again, it was Agozzino. He found space inside the circle and ripped a shot upstairs, blowing the water bottle off the net for his second of the night.
Abbotsford finally got one back on their fifth power play of the game. Joseph Labate worked the puck down low and threaded a slick cross-ice pass to Jonathan Lekkerimäki, who buried his third of the season. But the celebration didn’t last long.
Agozzino, clearly feeling it, completed the hat trick just minutes later. He took a drop pass in stride, danced around Nikolay Knyzhov, and tucked home a smooth finish to make it 3-1.
Tucson capped it off with a late point shot from Max Szuber that found its way through traffic for his fourth of the season, sealing a 4-1 win.
Koskenvuo stopped 20 of 24 shots in the loss, while the Canucks managed just one goal on 31 attempts - a frustrating result after such a promising start.
Game Two: Klimovich Breaks Through, Canucks Break the Streak
Saturday’s rematch had a different tone - and a different result.
Without Jonathan Lekkerimäki, who had been called up to Vancouver, Abbotsford could’ve easily folded after an early goal against. Tucson struck first again, this time on a 2-on-1 rush where Noel Nordh kept the puck and sniped a short-side laser over Jiri Patera’s shoulder.
But this time, the Canucks pushed back - and kept pushing.
Joseph Labate, once again a catalyst, tied the game late in the first. He parked himself in front of the net, pounced on a rebound from a Nils Aman shot, and muscled it home on the backhand to even things up.
In the second, Dino Kambeitz gave Abbotsford its first lead of the weekend. He crashed the net and cleaned up a rebound from Vilmer Alriksson for his first of the season - a gritty goal that came at the perfect time.
Then came the moment Danila Klimovich had been waiting for.
After forcing a turnover off a brutal defensive miscue, Klimovich jumped on the loose puck, faked the forehand, and slipped a backhander past the Tucson goalie for his long-awaited first goal of the year. The relief was written all over his face - and the Canucks bench erupted.
Not long after, Nils Aman added to the lead with a beautiful deflection off a Phip Waugh shot, sneaking it just inside the short-side post. It was a textbook redirection, and it gave Abbotsford a comfortable 4-1 cushion.
And Klimovich wasn’t done.
Just one second into a power play, Kirill Kudryavtsev teed him up for a clean one-timer, and Klimovich hammered it through the netminder for his second of the night. After struggling to find the back of the net all season, the 22-year-old made a statement with a two-goal performance that could spark something bigger.
Tucson added a late goal, but the game was well in hand. Abbotsford held firm for a 5-2 win, snapping their five-game losing streak and heading home with some much-needed momentum.
Patera was solid in net, turning aside 24 of 26 shots to secure his second win of the year.
What’s Next for Abbotsford?
The Canucks now return home for a mid-week series against the Calgary Wranglers. It’ll be their first games at the newly renamed Rogers Forum, and with the losing streak behind them, they’ll look to keep building on Saturday’s effort.
Puck drops Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. PT - and if the Canucks can bring the same energy and execution they showed in Game Two, fans at the Forum might be in for a show.