Wranglers Rally, Fall in Six-Round Shootout to Abbotsford
Calgary erased a two-goal deficit in the third period before falling 3–2 in a six-round shootout to Abbotsford, outshooting the Canucks 38–19 and collecting a point with 17 games remaining in the regular season.
Photo by David Moll / Calgary Wranglers
CALGARY — The Calgary Wranglers erased a two-goal deficit Sunday afternoon at Scotiabank Saddledome but fell 3–2 in a six-round shootout to the Abbotsford Canucks, earning a point in a game with Pacific Division playoff implications.
Calgary entered the day three points outside a top-seven playoff spot in the division and pushed this one to the limit before settling for a single point.
Abbotsford opened the scoring at 2:04 of the first period. Danila Klimovich snapped a loose puck blocker-side shot for his ninth of the season. Chase Wouters recorded the assist to make it 1–0.
Joe Arntsen extended the lead at 9:59 of the second after Chase Stillman found the defenseman joining the rush down the left side. Arntsen beat Arsenii Sergeev under the glove for his second of the year, with Nils Åman adding the secondary assist to make it 2–0.
Calgary responded late in the third. Aydar Suniev cut the deficit at 14:27, wiring a shot from the right side near the top of the circle to beat Young for his 13th of the season and his third goal in four games. Dryden Hunt and Turner Ottenbreit collected the assists.
Just 1:24 later, Justin Kirkland tied it at 15:51 after Daniil Miromanov’s pass slid underneath the goaltender directly to Kirkland, who was waiting on the other side. He made no mistake from in close, scoring his sixth of the season. Martin Frk added the secondary assist.
Calgary finished with a 38–19 edge in shots.
Overtime carried urgency. William Stromgren broke in alone and appeared to slide the puck across the goal line while being hauled down, crashing into the goaltender in the process. The play was waved off, and the extra frame continued. Both netminders held firm through a series of odd-man chances, sending the game to a shootout.
The shootout extended six rounds before Jett Woo sealed it for Abbotsford.
Sergeev stopped 17 of 19 shots for a .895 save percentage. At the other end, Young turned aside 36 of 38 for a .947 mark.
The Wranglers have now gone beyond regulation in six of their last 10 games and 23 times this season. Sergeev made his second straight start Sunday, while Dryden Hunt has recorded two points in two games since returning from injury.
With 17 games remaining and division rivals in action later Sunday, including Henderson hosting Colorado and Tucson visiting San Jose, the Pacific Division playoff race remains fluid.
Calgary earned a point. The chase continues.
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Sergeev Stops 40, Frk Hits 20 as Wranglers Fall 3–2 in Shootout to Abbotsford
A four-goal third period sent the game to a shootout, where Sergeev’s 40-save effort and Frk’s 20th goal were not enough as Calgary fell 3–2 at the Saddledome.
(Photo by David Moll / Calgary Wranglers)
CALGARY — A four-goal third period sent Friday’s matchup to a shootout, where the Calgary Wranglers fell 3–2 to the Abbotsford Canucks at Scotiabank Saddledome.
Arsenii Sergeev stopped 40 of 42 shots for a .952 save percentage, and Martin Frk tied the game midway through the third with his 20th goal of the season, reaching that mark for the fourth consecutive AHL campaign.
The point moves Calgary to within three points of a Pacific Division playoff spot as the stretch drive continues.
Abbotsford broke through 52 seconds into the third period when Ben Berard scored his 12th of the season. Calgary responded quickly. Sam Morton tied the game at 3:36, finishing off a play set up by Dryden Hunt, who recorded his 27th assist in his return to the lineup.
Lukas Reichel restored Abbotsford’s lead at 9:28 of the third before Frk answered again at 11:13, wiring his 20th goal of the season off feeds from William Strömgren and Justin Kirkland.
Neither side converted in overtime, sending the game to a shootout. Abbotsford converted on both of its attempts to seal the extra point.
Jiří Patera stopped 32 of 34 shots for the Canucks, posting a .941 save percentage in the victory.
Calgary’s penalty kill units went 1-for-1, while they finished 0-for-3 on the power play.
The two clubs meet again Sunday afternoon at the Saddledome.
Wranglers push late but fall 3–2 in Abbotsford rematch
A one-goal game came down to a single third-period strike as Calgary outshot Abbotsford late but could not find the equalizer. Dryden Hunt and Matvei Gridin drove the Wranglers offense, while Arsenii Sergeev kept the game within reach with an .864 save percentage in a tight Pacific Division battle.
CALGARY — The Calgary Wranglers pushed late but came up one goal short Sunday night, falling 3–2 to the Abbotsford Canucks at Rogers Forum as the Pacific Division rivals wrapped up their weekend set.
Abbotsford opened the scoring just 58 seconds into the game when Nick Poisson struck early to give the Canucks a quick 1–0 lead. Calgary answered midway through the period as Sam Morton continued his strong stretch, scoring at 12:22 on a play set up by Dryden Hunt and Matvei Gridin.
The Canucks regained the lead late in the first when Ty Mueller scored at 17:41, sending Abbotsford into the intermission up 2–1.
Calgary pulled even early in the second period. Hunt tied the game at 4:30, finishing a sequence created by Gridin and Étienne Morin. The goal capped a productive weekend for Hunt, who recorded four points over the two games against Abbotsford.
The deciding moment came midway through the third period when Anri Ravinskis broke the deadlock at 10:24, converting a feed from Nils Åman and Derek Daschke to give the Canucks a 3–2 lead.
Calgary pressed for the equalizer late, outshooting Abbotsford 6–4 in the third period, but could not find a way past the Canucks defense. Arsenii Sergeev made the start for the Wranglers, stopping 19 of 22 shots faced (.864) to keep the game tight into the final minutes.
Ravinskis was named the game’s first star after scoring the game winner, while Poisson earned second star honors for his opening goal and Daschke was the third star after recording an assist on the decisive tally.
The Wranglers now return home for a Battle in Berta weekend against the Bakersfield Condors, beginning Friday night at Scotiabank Saddledome.
Wranglers Storm Back, Seize Third-Period Lead, Settle for Point in 4-3 Shootout Loss to Abbotsford
After Carter King put Calgary ahead early in the third, Abbotsford pushed back hard. The Canucks controlled much of the final period, outshooting the Wranglers 11-5 and eventually tying the game when Nils Åman found the net just past the midway point of the frame, sending a tight game toward overtime.
CALGARY — The Calgary Wranglers clawed their way back from an early two goal hole, took the lead in the third period, and still walked out of Abbotsford with just a single point Saturday night as the Canucks prevailed 4-3 in a five round shootout at Rogers Forum.
The Wranglers showed real push after Abbotsford struck twice early, with Jonathan Lekkerimäki opening the scoring just 18 seconds into the game before Cooper Walker made it 2-0 at 3:27 of the second period. Calgary responded shortly thereafter.
Sam Morton got the Wranglers on the board at 4:52 of the second, finishing a setup from Matvei Gridin and Dryden Hunt for his fifth of the season. Less than three minutes later, Hunt tied the game himself, putting home his 10th to erase the deficit and shift the momentum.
Carter King gave the Wranglers their first lead at 5:31, converting on a sequence with David Silye and Nick Cicek picking up the assists.
Abbotsford would not go away. Nils Åman answered back at 11:13, knotting the game at three, with Lekkerimäki and Jett Woo earning helpers. That goal forced overtime and eventually a shootout after neither side could break through in the extra frame.
Aydar Suniev was the lone Calgary skater to score in the shootout, but Abbotsford found enough offense over five rounds to secure the extra point.
The Wranglers also had to battle adversity in net. Owen Say started the game and stopped seven of nine shots before leaving early with an injury. Arsenii Sergeev was sharp in relief, turning aside 16 of 17 (.941) shots the rest of the way and giving Calgary a chance to win.
Dryden Hunt led the Wranglers with a goal and an assist and was named the game’s third star. Lekkerimäki and Åman earned the top two stars for Abbotsford, each finishing with a goal and an assist.
Calgary now turns the page quickly with a rematch Sunday afternoon at Rogers Forum, puck drop set for 4:00 pm MT, as the Wranglers look to convert a strong road performance into a full two points.