Abbotsford Canucks Capture Historic Calder Cup Title with 3–2 Game 6 Win

By Troy Tyrell | WBN News Vancouver |June 23, 2025
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The Abbotsford Canucks have made hockey history in British Columbia. With a gritty 3–2 win over the Charlotte Checkers in Game 6, the Canucks clinched the 2025 Calder Cup and became the first Pacific Division team to ever win the trophy. Even more significant, it's the first professional championship in the Canucks organization’s history—something the Vancouver parent club has never achieved.

Led by head coach Manny Malhotra, Abbotsford came from behind to win the game and the series, finishing it 4–2. The win capped off a dominant playoff run filled with standout performances and a resilient team identity that fans embraced all the way to the end.

A Rocky Start, But Abbotsford Battles Back

Game 6 didn’t start in Abbotsford’s favor. Charlotte jumped out with quick goals from Ben Steeves and Brett Chorske, catching the Canucks off guard and silencing the early momentum. But as they had done all postseason, Abbotsford didn’t panic.

They answered with goals from Linus Karlsson, Danila Klimovich, and Sammy Blais—each one a dagger to the Checkers’ push to force a Game 7. Karlsson’s goal was his 14th of the playoffs and part of a postseason run where he led the team with 26 points in 24 games.

Arturs Silovs: The Calm in the Chaos

While the skaters rallied on the scoreboard, goaltender Arturs Silovs was once again the backbone. In Game 6, he stopped 36 of 38 shots and held the line through multiple dangerous chances late in the third period. Throughout the playoffs, Silovs was the most consistent force on the ice.

He finished the Calder Cup Playoffs with a 2.01 goals-against average, a .931 save percentage, and five shutouts—one of the best postseason stat lines in recent AHL history. In the Finals alone, he posted an incredible .943 save percentage. For his efforts, Silovs was awarded the Jack A. Butterfield Trophy as the Most Valuable Player of the 2025 Calder Cup Playoffs.

Depth Wins Championships

Abbotsford’s roster wasn’t stacked with flashy names, but it was loaded with depth. Beyond Karlsson’s scoring surge, key contributions came from Klimovich, Blais, Arshdeep Bains, Tristen Nielsen, and Jonathan Lekkerimaki. Role players stepped up every game, proving Malhotra’s system of four-line balance could compete with and outlast the best in the league.

Throughout the postseason, the Canucks relied on responsible two-way hockey, physical defense from Jett Woo and Christian Wolanin, and opportunistic scoring from all three forward lines. They weren’t the biggest names in the AHL, but they were often the smartest, most structured team on the ice.

Making History in BC

This Calder Cup win is historic on two fronts. Abbotsford is now the first team from the Pacific Division to win the Cup, breaking new ground for a region often overshadowed in the league’s playoff picture. And perhaps more importantly for fans across British Columbia, Abbotsford delivered the first-ever championship of any kind to the Canucks franchise.

The big-league Canucks have flirted with glory for over five decades—reaching the Stanley Cup Final three times—but never sealing the deal. Abbotsford’s victory gives long-suffering BC hockey fans something real to celebrate.

Coach Malhotra’s Impact

First-year head coach Manny Malhotra deserves credit for keeping the group composed through ups and downs. A former NHLer who won the Calder Cup as a player in 2000, Malhotra brought steady leadership, player development insight, and a calm demeanor that allowed his young team to mature in real time. Postgame, he said Silovs was “just a gamer,” but the truth is this entire team played like one.

Community and Culture

This wasn’t just a hockey win—it was a community win. Abbotsford fans packed the arena night after night, waving flags and chanting as if it were Rogers Arena in June. With Vancouver falling short again in the NHL playoffs, BC’s attention shifted to its AHL affiliate, and the Canucks of Abbotsford delivered.

Even as the final buzzer sounded at Bojangles Coliseum in Charlotte, the celebration had already started back home. Hockey fans across the Fraser Valley, Vancouver, and the island are calling this one of the biggest sports moments the province has seen in decades.

Looking Ahead

The championship is in the bag, but the story is far from over. This team is built on young prospects who are knocking on the NHL’s door. With Silovs proving he’s more than ready and forwards like Karlsson and Bains showing high-end potential, the future of the Canucks organization suddenly looks a lot brighter.

For now, though, the Cup belongs to Abbotsford. The players earned it, the coaches guided it, and the fans deserve it. In a season filled with adversity and doubters, this team showed up, locked in, and made history.

British Columbia finally has a pro hockey champion. And it came from the valley.

By Troy Tyrell, Founder of Tsquared Personal Training
WBN Contributor | Community Builder | Mountain Biker | Advocate for Local Business & Fitness
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