For the second straight game, goalie Spencer Martin and forward Nils Höglander were big difference makers for the Abbotsford Canucks as they escaped Ontario with a 3-2 win on Wednesday (March 1).
Martin made 30 saves and Höglander scored twice in the victory.
Höglander opened the scoring at 13:07 of the first, receiving a perfect pass from Marc Gatcomb and then beating Ontario Reign goalie Cal Petersen with a deke.
Hoglander dekes out Reign goalie, that's his ninth. pic.twitter.com/vOYcJeFRjb
— Ben Lypka (@BenLypka) March 2, 2023
Abbotsford outshot Ontario 10-8 in the opening frame.
The second period was all Ontario, as they outshot Abbotsford 13-5 and scored twice.
Reign tie the game up on the power play pic.twitter.com/Pis8V3bWhu
— Ben Lypka (@BenLypka) March 2, 2023
Alan Quine connected on the power play at 5:26 and Samuel Helenius gave the Reign the lead at 17:17. Penalty issues also troubled the Canucks as they were assessed three minors in the second.
Höglander tied the game up at 7:13 of the third after stealing the puck in the Canucks zone, breaking free, drawing a penalty and still managing to deke out Petersen. The Swedish product now has 10 goals this season with Abbotsford.
Hoglander steals the puck, draws a penalty on the breakaway and still scores. His second on the night and 10th in the AHL pic.twitter.com/3MUCGdDE8k
— Ben Lypka (@BenLypka) March 2, 2023
Höglander then set up Jack Rathbone for the game winning goal at 10:47. Rathbone had served a minor penalty moments before he fired a rocket from the point.
Rathbone with a laser puts the Canucks up 3-2 pic.twitter.com/rejNFqaNyr
— Ben Lypka (@BenLypka) March 2, 2023
Höglander and Klimovich led the Canucks with three shots apiece. Martin has now won two straight in the AHL and his save percentage improved to .901 with the victory.
A cheeky little Wednesday night W 😎 pic.twitter.com/bGp7OyHIzl
— Abbotsford Canucks (@abbycanucks) March 2, 2023
Abbotsford is now in sole possession of third place in the Pacific Division and have a record of 31-19-2-2.
The Canucks now travel to Nevada to take on the Henderson Silver Knights tomorrow (Thursday) and Saturday (March 4). The next home game occurs on March 7 when the Manitoba Moose come to the Abbotsford Centre.
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