San Jose’s Patrick Holway and Abbotsford’s Marc Gatcomb battle with one another at Tech CU Arena on Saturday JAN 14, 2023. (San Jose Barracuda)

by Marko Ukalovic

SAN JOSE — The Abbotsford Canucks scored three goals in less than five minutes in the second period to defeat the San Jose Barracuda 5-1 on Saturday evening at Tech CU Arena.

San Jose has three games in a row and 11 of their past 13. Abbotsford have won three games in a row and four out of its last five.

Abbotsford (22-10-1-1) drew first blood early in the first period with an even strength goal.

San Jose (15-21-0-2) Wyatt Kalynuk’s shot from the point was tipped in by Kyle Rau past ‘Cuda goalie Aaron Dell for his eighth goal of the season at the 6:24 mark.

Despite out shooting the Canucks nine to seven in the opening frame, the Barracuda weren’t able to get a puck past Canucks goalie Artus Silovs.

The Barracuda evened the score at the 8:00 minute mark of the second period with an even strength goal. Luke Johnson won a faceoff out to Jeffery Viel and the veteran forward beat Silovs with a wrist shot to the far side of the net for his seventh goal of the season.

Abbotsford scored a pair of power play goals 64 seconds apart near the halfway mark of the middle frame. The Canucks scored on a 5-on-3 power play when Linus Karlsson finished off a tic-tac-toe play into an empty net for his 11th goal of the season at the 8:45 mark.

The Canucks scored its second power play goal when Christian Wolanin set up Phil Di Guiseppe’s one-timer that beat Dell for his eighth goal of the season at the 9:49 mark.

Abbotsford scored its third unanswered goal of the period at the 13:02 mark when Danila Klimovich tapped home a pass from Arshdeep Bains for Klimovich’s eighth goal of the season.

Bains finished off the scoring for the Canucks at the 18:55 mark of the third period with an empty net goal, his fourth of the season.

Silovs stopped 25 of the 26 shots he faced to earn the victory. Dell made 24 saves on 28 saves in the losing effort.

GAME NOTES: San Jose finished 0-for-6 on the power play. Abbotsford went 2-for-4.

The Three Stars of the Game were: 1) Wolanin 2) Silovs 3) Viel

San Jose is 0-18-0-1 when they have given up four or more goals in games.

Karlsson was given a 10-minute game misconduct for abuse of officials at the 16:41 mark of the third period.

UP NEXT: San Jose and Abbotsford conclude their two-games series on Sunday 1/15 at 1:00pm at Tech CU Arena.