The Calgary Wranglers emerged victorious this afternoon, bringing home the turkey in a hard-fought battle against the Abbotsford Canucks.
From the get-go, it was Dryden Hunt who set the tone.
Just minutes into the first period, Hunt fired a quick shot from the slot, putting Calgary on the board and giving them an early 1-0 lead.
On the HUNT for a goal and he found it🔥 1-0 us! pic.twitter.com/Hev2T4aXAb
— Calgary Wranglers (@AHLWranglers) October 13, 2024
With that goal, Hunt is now just three points shy of reaching the 200-point milestone in his AHL career.
However, the Canucks weren’t going to let the Wranglers run away with it.
Dino Kambietz equalized with a shorthanded goal, leveling the score and shifting the momentum.
Throughout the game, goaltender Devin Cooley was a brick wall, making 45 saves in the game, and a series of crucial saves that kept the Wranglers in competition.
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His remarkable performance set the stage for Walker Duehr, who scored in the third period, beautifully assisted by centreman Clark Bishop, who brought his speed and skill with an impressive end-to-end rush.
DREAM TEAM! TIE GAME!! pic.twitter.com/ZnmEfHhiMi
— Calgary Wranglers (@AHLWranglers) October 13, 2024
Duehr continued to make plays, not only netting a goal but also setting up Lucas Ciona, who found the back of the net to tie the game at 3-3 with just four minutes left in regulation.
Love to CEE it 🔥 pic.twitter.com/jTHWhbZC7m
— Calgary Wranglers (@AHLWranglers) October 13, 2024
As the final buzzer sounded, the game headed into overtime, with both teams exchanging chances in a nail-biting finish.
The Canucks had a golden opportunity with just a minute remaining in overtime, but once again, Cooley stood tall, denying their best shot and pushing the game to a shootout.
In the shootout, the tensions were high.
Round 1 ended in a draw, with William Stromgren scoring for the Wranglers and Tristen Nielsen matching him for the Canucks.
But it was Round 2 that sealed the deal for Calgary. Defenceman Jeremie Poirier found the net, while Cooley blocked Sammy Blais’ attempt, clinching the victory for the Wranglers.
