Unstoppable Artūrs Šilovs delivers another shutout as Abbotsford Canucks seize Game 1 win over Colorado

Artūrs Šilovs stood tall and unshakable between the pipes on Friday night, May 16, steering the Abbotsford Canucks to a statement 2-0 win over the Colorado Eagles in Game 1 of the AHL Pacific Division Finals.

With every save, the 23-year-old Latvian netminder gave his team the calm it needed in a tight, low-scoring playoff opener. He turned aside 22 shots for his second consecutive shutout and third of the 2025 Calder Cup Playoffs. His current shutout streak now stands at an impressive 136 minutes and 36 seconds.

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“We just focused on our structure, our pace, and trusted Šilovs back there,” said forward Ty Mueller. “He’s been unbelievable for us. That gives us the freedom to go after it.”

Canucks ride hot goalie, flawless penalty kill
The Canucks leaned heavily on Šilovs' confidence and timely saves, especially during a tense final five minutes when the Eagles had a late power play and pulled their goaltender for an extra attacker. Despite the pressure, Abbotsford preserved its one-goal lead before rookie Victor Mancini secured the win with an empty-netter with just six seconds left.

Abbotsford’s penalty kill has now gone a perfect 23-for-23 in the playoffs, adding another feather to their already airtight postseason resume.

Ty Mueller opened the scoring with a power-play goal at 15:25 of the second period, hammering home a one-timer off a clean feed from Sammy Blais for his first goal of the playoffs.

Eagles shut out for first time all season
Colorado, which had not been shut out all season, found itself stymied by Abbotsford’s layered defense and Šilovs' controlled rebound management. Trent Miner made 22 saves in the loss, doing all he could to keep his team in the game.

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“That was playoff hockey in every sense,” said Abbotsford coach Jeremy Colliton. “Our details were strong, our structure held, and Artūrs was the backbone again.”

The teams will return to the Abbotsford Centre for Game 2 on Sunday, where the Canucks will try to extend their lead in the best-of-five series.