Canucks survive Wranglers shootout thriller on Flaunt Your Flannel Night

The Abbotsford Canucks held off the Calgary Wranglers in a 4-3 shootout win on Flaunt Your Flannel Night, improving the home club’s standing with a gritty, come-from-behind effort that energized the rink. Jonathan Lekkerimäki returned to the lineup and set the tone with a goal just 18 seconds into the game, while goaltender Jiří Patera started for Abbotsford opposite Owen Say.

The fast start was followed by a more uneven first period for the Canucks. Abbotsford absorbed a two-minute penalty kill early and, despite escaping without surrendering a goal, was outshot for the remainder of the opening frame. The Canucks nevertheless led 1-0 after 20 minutes thanks to Lekkerimäki’s backhand finish.

The middle frame swung back and forth. Cooper Walker capitalized on his own rebound at 3:30 of the second, pushing the Canucks’ lead to 2-0. Calgary responded quickly as Sam Morton ripped a one-timer from the slot to make it 2-1, and Dryden Hunt later scored while Patera was down to knot the contest at 2-2. During the period Calgary switched goaltenders, with Arsenii Sergeev entering the game for the Wranglers.

Calgary grabbed a 3-2 lead early in the third when Carter King finished a backdoor feed from David Silye, but Abbotsford answered with nine minutes left when Nils Åman deflected a Lekkerimäki point shot to restore a 3-3 tie. Both clubs pushed hard late; Abbotsford had a power play in the final 90 seconds but could not find the game-winner, sending the matchup to overtime.

Overtime featured a 30-second man advantage for Abbotsford, and the Canucks generated several close looks, but the decisive goal never came and the game moved to a shootout. Lekkerimäki opened the shootout with a conversion, Ben Bérard followed with a miss, and the rounds played out with Alriksson converting in the fifth to seal a 4-3 victory. Shootout sequence: Round 1 - Lekkerimäki yes, Gridin no; Round 2 - Bérard no, Poirier no; Round 3 - Reichel no, Suniev yes; Round 4 - Åman no, Kerrins no; Round 5 - Alriksson yes, Frk no.

For the Abbotsford community the contest delivered the kind of entertainment fans expect on promotional nights - a fast start, momentum swings, late drama and a shootout finish. Lekkerimäki’s quick impact after returning to the lineup and Walker’s rebound goal stood out as practical takeaways for a coaching staff that will want more consistency in shot control and penalty situations. Special teams and goaltending changes shaped the game, and the Canucks’ ability to hang on in high-pressure moments should buoy the locker room.

Abbotsford and Calgary meet again tomorrow before the Canucks head out on the road, leaving Abbotsford riding momentum and giving fans a clear set of storylines to follow: Lekkerimäki’s scoring touch, how special teams adjust, and whether the Canucks can turn late chances into full-time wins.