When you think do-or-die playoff games 鈥� a winner take-all battle with everything on the line and the loser goes home 鈥� Monday afternoon at 2:05 p.m. isn't a scenario that players have ever likely dreamt of.
But that's the situation the Abbotsford Canucks see themselves in after falling 3-1 in game four to the Colorado Eagles on Friday (May 23).
Abbotsford and Colorado now celebrate Memorial Day (Monday, May 26) with what should be a memorable elimination game five inside the Blue Arena. The question now is what should the Canucks eat for lunch that day?
Abbotsford allows the first goal for the 67th time in these playoffs
鈥� Ben Lypka (@BenLypka)
Canucks fans might have lost their lunch early on Friday when for the third time in this series, Abbotsford allowed an early goal. Jean-Luc Foudy pounced on a turnover and beat Arturs Silovs just 3:36 into the first and that goal stood on its own for a long time.
Abbotsford was out shot 8-6 in the first and couldn't sustain a lot of pressure in the offensive zone. Canucks forward Juhjar Khaira had a breakaway opportunity at 2:04 of the first, but Eagles goalie Trent Miner denied him. Abbotsford also had a short flurry of offensive pressure midway at around the nine-minute mark with Miner again keeping the puck out.
Khaira with an early breakaway, but he's denied
鈥� Ben Lypka (@BenLypka)
Colorado made it 2-0 at 11:14 when former Vancouver Canucks forward Jayson Megna scored. A late offensive zone penalty by Abbtosford's Danila Klimovich gave Colorado a power play and they connected at 19:25 to go up 3-0 after two. It's believed that Klimovich did not receive another shift after that penalty.
Hirose with the turnover and it's 2-0
鈥� Ben Lypka (@BenLypka)
The Canucks were again out shot 8-7 in the second and the third period devolved into a parade for both teams into the penalty box. Sammy Blais, Arshdeep Bains and Tristen Nielsen all received game misconducts in the third, with Colorado's Chris Wagner and Tye Felhaber also getting tossed. Blais also had two minor penalties in the third and he now leads the AHL playoffs with 50 penalty minutes. He's also received three game misconducts equalling $300 in fines in the playoffs.
The Canucks did manage to get on the board when Nate Smith scored his third of the playoffs at 14:04. Silovs came up with some big saves and stopped 13 shots, but his team couldn't close the gap. Abbotsford was out shot 30-25 in the loss.
Abbotsford is on the board with a Nate Smith goal
鈥� Ben Lypka (@BenLypka)
The pairing of Akito Hirose and Jett Woo both finished at -2, while Bains and Khaira led the Canucks with four shots on goal. Abbotsford's power play went 0/2 and is now 0/9 in the playoffs on the road. The power play goal Abbotsford allowed in the second period was the first one they have conceded in the playoffs. They have called 32 of 33 in the playoffs (96.9 per cent).
Game 5 on Monday.
鈥� X - Abbotsford Canucks (@abbycanucks)
The two teams now meet for the decisive game five on Monday (May 26) at 2:05 p.m. Abbotsford time. The winner will then host the Western Conference final starting later that week. The other Western Conference semifinal saw the Milwaukee Admirals draw even with the Texas Stars. Game five in that series is set for Sunday (May 24).
Continue visiting for ongoing coverage of the Canucks' journey in the Calder Cup playoffs.
