All good things must come to an end, and unfortunately for the Abbotsford Canucks, their impressive eight-game winning streak came to a screeching halt on Wednesday night in Coachella Valley.
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Despite holding a 2-1 lead heading into the third period, the Canucks surrendered four goals in the opening five minutes of the final frame, ultimately falling to the Firebirds 5-2.
The loss was their first in nine games and just their fourth in the calendar year.
The first period was a back-and-forth affair, with neither team able to find the back of the net. Coachella Valley finally drew first blood in the second period, capitalizing on a power play opportunity.
Rookie Jagger Firkus unleashed a wicked wrist shot from the top of the circles, beating Nikita Tolopilo cleanly over his shoulder.
Coachella Valley Goal &#8211; 1-0 &#8211; Jagger Firkus (Power Play) (Ty Nelson, Ryan Winterton)
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
birds strike first and take the lead 1-0 <a href="https://t.co/4IcDAX0O7m">pic.twitter.com/4IcDAX0O7m</a>
&mdash; Coachella Valley Firebirds (@Firebirds) <a href="https://twitter.com/Firebirds/status/1884817281722581352?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 30, 2025</a></blockquote>
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But it didn’t take long for the red-hot visiting team to respond. Off an offensive zone face-off win, Chase Wouters won the puck back to Carsen Twarynski, who set up Erik Brännström for a heavy one-timer that beat the Firebirds&#8217; netminder up top.
Abbotsford Goal &#8211; 1-1 &#8211; Erik Brännström (Carsen Twarynski, Chase Wouters)
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
ERIK BRÄNS-BOMB 💣 <a href="https://t.co/dTGGJTh7Tf">pic.twitter.com/dTGGJTh7Tf</a>
&mdash; Abbotsford Canucks (@abbycanucks) <a href="https://twitter.com/abbycanucks/status/1884820778564096047?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 30, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Brännström&#8217;s goal extended his point streak to six games, with points in every game he&#8217;s played for Abbotsford. He has been an offensive catalyst since joining the team, sitting second among all AHL defencemen in scoring during that span. Additionally, no defenders carry a higher plus/minus as a plus-8 (tied with Utica’s Simon Nemec) during that timeframe.
He has quickly proven that his skill is unmatched when given the opportunity to let loose with his game — at least at the American league level.
Later in the second period, Danila Klimovich capped off a beautiful passing play from Ty Mueller and Sammy Blais with a slick backhand-forehand deke to give the Canucks a 2-1 lead.
Abbotsford Goal &#8211; 2-1 &#8211; Danila Klimovich (Ty Mueller, Sammy Blais)
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
Just Klim doing Klim things 🤩 <a href="https://t.co/RrQdMYOWDO">pic.twitter.com/RrQdMYOWDO</a>
&mdash; Abbotsford Canucks (@abbycanucks) <a href="https://twitter.com/abbycanucks/status/1884825169945924093?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 30, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Klimovich has regained his scoring touch, notching three goals in his last two games after enduring an 11-game pointless drought. He now shares the team lead in goals with Jonathan Lekkerimäki and is just three goals shy of his career-high (17) set back in 2022-23.
As for Ty Mueller, he continues to impress in his rookie year. He now sits third on the squad with 22 points and is second among forwards as a plus-6 on the year.
The former Nebraska-Omaha standout has established quite the name for himself as a formidable two-way presence up the middle and has played high minutes in all citations for this Abbotsford team.
If you haven’t already, be sure to monitor this kid&#8217;s trajectory as a potential bottom-six centre replacement in Vancouver down the road.
Despite a promising start and a lead heading into the final stanza, the third period proved disastrous for the Canucks. The Firebirds stormed out of the gate, scoring four unanswered goals in the first five minutes to put the game out of reach early.
It took the Birds all of 1:41 to find an equalizer in the third period. After a strong passing play to gain entry, Jani Nyman found Nikolas Brouillard in the slot.
He wasted no time taking the quick one-timer, and the puck squeaked through Tolopilo&#8217;s wickets, trickling past the goal line to even the score.
Coachella Valley Goal &#8211; 2-2 &#8211; Nikolas Brouillard (Jani Nyman, Ryan Winterton)
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
BRU TIED IT UP 2-2 <a href="https://t.co/wH9wvsyPMp">pic.twitter.com/wH9wvsyPMp</a>
&mdash; Coachella Valley Firebirds (@Firebirds) <a href="https://twitter.com/Firebirds/status/1884827793596334352?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 30, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Cue Daniel Sprong, who decided to release some pent-up anger after being let go by the organization just a few months back. He made a slick move to get past Chase Wouters before finding Ben Meyers, who made a tremendous cut across the crease to stretch out and beat Tolopilo for his 12th of the season.
Coachella Valley Goal &#8211; 3-2 &#8211; Ben Meyers (Daniel Sprong, Nikolas Brouillard)
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
we LOOOOVVEEE a power play goal!! 
3-2 WE LEAD <a href="https://t.co/8KXO1a0Kwm">pic.twitter.com/8KXO1a0Kwm</a>
&mdash; Coachella Valley Firebirds (@Firebirds) <a href="https://twitter.com/Firebirds/status/1884828435890966934?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 30, 2025</a></blockquote>
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In the play, John Stevens is caught deliberately slashing an opponent, sending the Firebirds right back to the power play, where Sprong delivers the doubling blow.
The former Canuck made no mistake taking the Logan Morrison pass, going upstairs on Tolpilo for his fifth AHL goal of the season.
Coachella Valley Goal &#8211; 4-2 &#8211; Daniel Sprong (Power Play) (Logan Morrison, Ben Meyers)
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
NOW THAT&#39;S HOW IT&#39;S DONE <a href="https://t.co/Dfh06v8hf0">pic.twitter.com/Dfh06v8hf0</a>
&mdash; Coachella Valley Firebirds (@Firebirds) <a href="https://twitter.com/Firebirds/status/1884828854088319326?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 30, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Just over one minute later, the Birds struck again, this time courtesy of Jacob Melanson&#8217;s breakaway goal to triple their lead and put the nail in the coffin.
Coachella Valley Goal &#8211; 5-2 &#8211; Jacob Melanson (Ryan Winterton, Max Lajoie)
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
WE LEAD 5-2 <a href="https://t.co/r3ccQIbPd0">pic.twitter.com/r3ccQIbPd0</a>
&mdash; Coachella Valley Firebirds (@Firebirds) <a href="https://twitter.com/Firebirds/status/1884829698884010403?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 30, 2025</a></blockquote>
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After a dominant eighth-game stretch in which they outscored their opponents 36-19, the Canucks finally looked mortal for just five minutes. That five minutes was enough to end a wild stretch, to send them back down to earth.
They will return home for a quick two-game homestand against the Calgary Wranglers before returning for a two-game set in Colorado.
The puck drops at 7:00 pm PT on Friday at the Abbotsford Centre.
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Danila Klimovich during the Vancouver Canucks' 4-2 win over the Winnipeg Jets at the 2024 Young Stars Classic from Penticton, BC.

All good things must come to an end, and unfortunately for the Abbotsford Canucks, their impressive eight-game winning streak came to a screeching halt on Wednesday night in Coachella Valley.
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Despite holding a 2-1 lead heading into the third period, the Canucks surrendered four goals in the opening five minutes of the final frame, ultimately falling to the Firebirds 5-2.

The loss was their first in nine games and just their fourth in the calendar year.

The first period was a back-and-forth affair, with neither team able to find the back of the net. Coachella Valley finally drew first blood in the second period, capitalizing on a power play opportunity.

Rookie Jagger Firkus unleashed a wicked wrist shot from the top of the circles, beating Nikita Tolopilo cleanly over his shoulder.

Coachella Valley Goal - 1-0 - Jagger Firkus (Power Play) (Ty Nelson, Ryan Winterton)

https://twitter.com/Firebirds/status/1884817281722581352

But it didn’t take long for the red-hot visiting team to respond. Off an offensive zone face-off win, Chase Wouters won the puck back to Carsen Twarynski, who set up Erik Brännström for a heavy one-timer that beat the Firebirds' netminder up top.

Abbotsford Goal - 1-1 - Erik Brännström (Carsen Twarynski, Chase Wouters)

https://twitter.com/abbycanucks/status/1884820778564096047

Brännström's goal extended his point streak to six games, with points in every game he's played for Abbotsford. He has been an offensive catalyst since joining the team, sitting second among all AHL defencemen in scoring during that span. Additionally, no defenders carry a higher plus/minus as a plus-8 (tied with Utica’s Simon Nemec) during that timeframe.

He has quickly proven that his skill is unmatched when given the opportunity to let loose with his game — at least at the American league level.

Later in the second period, Danila Klimovich capped off a beautiful passing play from Ty Mueller and Sammy Blais with a slick backhand-forehand deke to give the Canucks a 2-1 lead.

Abbotsford Goal - 2-1 - Danila Klimovich (Ty Mueller, Sammy Blais)

https://twitter.com/abbycanucks/status/1884825169945924093

Klimovich has regained his scoring touch, notching three goals in his last two games after enduring an 11-game pointless drought. He now shares the team lead in goals with Jonathan Lekkerimäki and is just three goals shy of his career-high (17) set back in 2022-23.

As for Ty Mueller, he continues to impress in his rookie year. He now sits third on the squad with 22 points and is second among forwards as a plus-6 on the year.

The former Nebraska-Omaha standout has established quite the name for himself as a formidable two-way presence up the middle and has played high minutes in all citations for this Abbotsford team.

If you haven’t already, be sure to monitor this kid's trajectory as a potential bottom-six centre replacement in Vancouver down the road.

Despite a promising start and a lead heading into the final stanza, the third period proved disastrous for the Canucks. The Firebirds stormed out of the gate, scoring four unanswered goals in the first five minutes to put the game out of reach early.

It took the Birds all of 1:41 to find an equalizer in the third period. After a strong passing play to gain entry, Jani Nyman found Nikolas Brouillard in the slot.

He wasted no time taking the quick one-timer, and the puck squeaked through Tolopilo's wickets, trickling past the goal line to even the score.

Coachella Valley Goal - 2-2 - Nikolas Brouillard (Jani Nyman, Ryan Winterton)

https://twitter.com/Firebirds/status/1884827793596334352

Cue Daniel Sprong, who decided to release some pent-up anger after being let go by the organization just a few months back. He made a slick move to get past Chase Wouters before finding Ben Meyers, who made a tremendous cut across the crease to stretch out and beat Tolopilo for his 12th of the season.

Coachella Valley Goal - 3-2 - Ben Meyers (Daniel Sprong, Nikolas Brouillard)

https://twitter.com/Firebirds/status/1884828435890966934

In the play, John Stevens is caught deliberately slashing an opponent, sending the Firebirds right back to the power play, where Sprong delivers the doubling blow.

The former Canuck made no mistake taking the Logan Morrison pass, going upstairs on Tolpilo for his fifth AHL goal of the season.

Coachella Valley Goal - 4-2 - Daniel Sprong (Power Play) (Logan Morrison, Ben Meyers)

https://twitter.com/Firebirds/status/1884828854088319326

Just over one minute later, the Birds struck again, this time courtesy of Jacob Melanson's breakaway goal to triple their lead and put the nail in the coffin.

Coachella Valley Goal - 5-2 - Jacob Melanson (Ryan Winterton, Max Lajoie)

https://twitter.com/Firebirds/status/1884829698884010403

After a dominant eighth-game stretch in which they outscored their opponents 36-19, the Canucks finally looked mortal for just five minutes. That five minutes was enough to end a wild stretch, to send them back down to earth.

They will return home for a quick two-game homestand against the Calgary Wranglers before returning for a two-game set in Colorado.

The puck drops at 7:00 pm PT on Friday at the Abbotsford Centre.

Sponsored by bet365
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