The Canucks have set themselves up very well going into Game 3 tonight in Cedar Park.
Having taken back-to-back home wins, Abbotsford’s task of reaching the Calder Cup Finals is half-done. Now comes the next stage, which will be trying to take those final two victories as they face what could be as many as three games at Texas this week.
The Canucks have a 2-0 series lead, but this series has been exceptionally tight. After going to overtime in Game 1, the teams took a much more careful, deliberate approach in Game 2, with Abbotsford prevailing 1-0.
Artūrs Šilovs posted his fifth playoff shutout in Saturday night’s victory. In all, Šilovs has stopped 62 of 64 shots in the series.
“He has made it pretty clear that it’s going to be challenging to beat him,” forward Arshdeep Bains said.
Defenseman Alex Petrovic cleared waivers on Sunday and was assigned to Texas, where he collected 25 points in 58 regular-season games before becoming a regular on the Dallas blue line during the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The 13th-year pro is a familiar face for head coach Neil Graham, having spent four seasons in Cedar Park. He was last in the Texas lineup on Apr. 6.
With Sunday being a travel day for both teams, it was not immediately known how Graham might work his defensive pairings for Game 3. Tommy Bergsland and Gavin White have split time as the Stars’ sixth defenseman so far this postseason.
― with files from Patrick Williams
