Abbotsford Canucks: Resilience is name of game amid heat to capture Calder Cup on road
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'We got on a roll in overtime, had some quality looks, and (Max) Sasson hits a post. The guys are ticked off. It would have been an incredible evening for the fans. It would have been a storybook ending, but we're not a storybook team.
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'We grind. We work for what we get.'
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There's reason for optimism Monday.
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Arturs Silovs, 24, is capable of being a difference-maker with sparkling post-season numbers. He's 15-7-0 with a 2.01 goals-against average, .931 saves percentage and five shutouts, one short of the league record.
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Linus Karlsson, 25, scored twice Saturday, had eight shots, and leads AHL playoff scoring with 25 points (13-12). He's also second in shots (64) behind linemate the 24-year-old Sasson (72), who had 14 post-season points (5-9). Arshdeep Bains, 24, rounds out the line. He also scored in Game 5 and had five shots.
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Karlsson accepted a challenge to be more of a leader in his third AHL season, and in recalls to the parent Canucks, his willingness to establish a net presence bodes well for next NHL season. He had 39 points (23-16) in 32 AHL regular-season games this season.
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'It's just what he does — it's just the kind of player he is,' lauded Malhotra. 'The offensive numbers stand out, but we look at the number of puck battles he wins and coming out of the corner. He got to the dirty areas and gets to the net front.
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'He's not a fancy player, but extremely effective in doing little things well and gets rewarded for it.'
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LINUS KARLSSON WITH SOME MOVES FOR THE LEAD 🚨
He has two tonight and it's 3-2 Canucks @abbycanucks | @Canucks | @CanucksArmy #AHL #CalderCup #ProudlyAbbotsford #Canucks pic.twitter.com/GUSR5qNqhq
— FloHockey (@FloHockey) June 22, 2025
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It's also imperative for the leadership group to be prominent Monday. Captain Chase Wouters has but four playoff points (2-2) but is adept at shot blocking and the tough stuff that doesn't show up on highlight reels.
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'If I'm honest, the room is kind of running itself,' admitted Malhotra. 'That's a large part of where we are right now. It's the ability to manage the emotions of the room and turning the page. We'll be ready to go.'
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Wouters, 25, is an undrafted grinder and his 28 regular-season points (10-28) in 72 outings don't tell the whole story.
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'We left it all out there and it's unfortunate,' he said of the Game 5 setback. 'We'll look at film an regroup. Even after wins, it's the next day and it's like nothing happened and that's been our mindset all year. We're looking forward to the challenge. They (Checkers) are a great team and they're not going to go away.
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