To kick off 2018 the Canucks would take on the Calgary Mustangs on home ice. The Canucks came to play as #7 Michael Clarke got things started for the Canucks just 1:03 into the period off a pass from #23 Mark Drohan and #2 Brody Medeiros. The Calgary Mustangs would tie up the game with a goal from #22 Joseph Karpyshyn. The Canucks would kick things up a gear scoring to regain the lead with a goal from #20 Michael Johnson assisted by #18 Blake Stevenson and #10 Sam Anderson. A few minutes later #19 Zach Russell put another into the net from #7 Michael Clarke and #12 Andrew Marshall to make it 3-1 Canucks. The goals kept rolling as #2 Brody Medeiros extended the Canucks lead to 4-1 off a pass from #23 Mark Drohan and #27 Jordan McConnell. The Mustangs would score on the power play to cut the lead in half after #2 Nathan Walker scored. #12 Chase Miller would score another for the Mustangs to bring them within one. After a goal filled period the Canucks held a 4-3 lead. The Canucks weren’t going to let the Mustangs even things up and scored a power play goal of their own courtesy of #25 Zach Webb to make it 5-3. Assists on the goal went to #11 Alex Wilkins and #23 Mark Drohan. #18 Blake Stevenson would add another tally to the board for the Canucks from #10 Sam Anderson mid-way through the period. With another power play #15 Liam Freeborn would score for the Mustangs, it would be 6-4 Canucks. Holding onto the lead heading into the third the Canucks wouldn’t sit back. #25 Zach Webb would score another to make it 7-4, assisted by #22 Josh Giacomin and #10 Sam Anderson. With 34 second left in the period #27 Jordan McConnell would put one past the Mustangs goaltender off a set up from #25 Zach Webb and #4 Kyler Newman. Canucks would win 8-4!
The Canucks were in Camrose Sunday afternoon for a matchup against the Kodiaks. The Canucks got things started as #12 Andrew Marshall put one into the net 2:45 into the first. Assists on the goal went to #7 Michael Clarke and #23 Mark Drohan. Adding to the Canucks lead #25 Zach Webb after being set up by #24 Hayden Ursulak and #22 Josh Giacomin to make it 2-0. With under two minutes left in the period the Canucks scored their third goal courtesy of #24 Hayden Ursulak from #23 Mark Drohan and #22 Josh Giacomin. The first would end with the Canucks up 3-0. In the second the Kodiaks made up ground after a penalty filled period. Their first goal was scored by #19 Matt Dykstra to make it 3-1. #22 Nic Correale would score on the power play to move the Kodiaks within one. Then the Kodiaks would tie the game with a short-handed goal by #18 Kyler Kupka. Things were all tied up after two. Early in the third the Kodaks got their first lead of the game to make it 4-3 after a goal from #4 Zach Vinnell. The Canucks took advantage of a power play to even things up once again with a goal from #7 Michael Clarke, assisted by #11 Alex Wilkins and #19 Zach Russell. Then #13 Cooper Johnson gave the Canucks their second lead of the game after scoring an unassisted short-handed goal. With just 3:49 remaining #37 Brock Bremer scored for the Kodiaks to tie the game. With time running out the game would head to overtime, however neither team would be able to finish things up. In the shootout the Canucks scored on 2 out of 3 chances to win it 6-5!
Up next, the Camrose Kodiaks will be in town on Friday, January 12th for another close south division match up. Then the boys will head out of town to face off against the Drumheller Dragons.
Go Canucks Go!