The Abbotsford Canucks are riding high in their inaugural season, currently riding a franchise record eight game win streak, and poised to control home ice for the opening round of the American Hockey League playoffs.
Fans have had quite a lot to cheer about at Abbotsford Centre this season, with the incredible development of defenceman Jack Rathbone, the offensive production from Sheldon Dries and Sheldon Rempal, the fairy-tale run of Yushiroh Hirano, who became the first Japanese-born player to ever score an American Hockey League goal, and the emergence of the goaltending tandem of Spencer Martin and Mikey DiPietro.
Spencer Martin was signed by the Vancouver Canucks to be a 5th string goaltender. To hop in and bat clean-up should an injury occur to Thatcher Demko or Jaroslav Halak. Then he got some time in the crease in Abbotsford, and quickly took the starters job away from DiPietro and Arturs Silovs. Once Martin became the number one guy in the Abbotsford net, he’s played the best hockey of his career, going 19-4-2, with a 2.43 Goals Against Average and three shutouts. Mikey DiPietro, on the other hand, began to elevate his game to compete with Spencer Martin, which has led both goaltenders to play at the highest levels both have in their professional careers. With the playoffs rapidly approaching, and only three games remaining in the regular season, Abbotsford will be going with DiPietro, as Vancouver has called up Martin for the remainder of the season, following an injury to Jaroslav Halak in Vancouver’s loss to Ottawa last week.
The Canucks host the Bakersfield Condors on Tuesday night, before finishing off the regular season in Winnipeg, with a pair of games against the Manitoba Moose. Should Abbotsford hold on to third place in the AHL’s Pacific Division, the first round of the AHL’s Calder Cup Playoffs will begin May 3rd at Abbotsford Centre.
(Photo: Abbotsford Canucks)