Linus Karlsson leads Abbottsford Canucks to 3-2 victory over Charlotte Checkers to win Calder Cup

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Linus Karlsson scored the tiebreaking goal late in the second period and the Abbotsford Canucks beat the Charlotte Checkers 3-2 on Monday night to win their first Calder Cup championship.

Sammy Blais and Danila Klimovich also scored for the Canucks, and Arshdeep Bains had two assists. Arturs Silovs finished with 28 saves.

Silovs received the Jack A. Butterfield Trophy for being the playoff MVP after getting a record-tying 16 wins in the postseason, including five shutouts. The 24-year-old goalie finished with a .931 save percentage.

Abbotsford, led by first-year coach Manny Malhotra, is Vancouver’s first AHL affiliate to hoist the cup and the first Canadian winner since the Toronto Marlies in 2018.

John Leonard and Jack Devine scored first-period goals for the Checkers, who lost the best-of-seven American Hockey League championship series in six games.

The Canucks lost Game 5 in overtime on Saturday in front of the largest crowd to ever witness an AHL game at the Abbotsford Centre in B.C.’s Lower Mainland.

After spotting Charlotte the first two goals on Monday night, the Canucks roared back with three unanswered goals, including the winner from Karlsson with 2:41 left in the second period.

Abbotsford went 1 for 2 on the power play, while Charlotte went 0 for 4.

Abbotsford knocked off the Tucson Roadrunners 2-1 in the Pacific Division’s first round, followed by a 3-1 win over the Coachella Valley Firebirds in the semifinals. The Canucks outlasted the Colorado Eagles 3-2 in the Pacific Division final, then bounced the Texas Stars 4-2 in the Western Conference final.

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