Charlotte, N.C. — In a win-or-lose situation, the Charlotte Checkers entered game six on home ice with an opportunity to advance the series or give the cup to their opponent, the Abbotsford Canucks. Hosting over 8,000 fans at Bojangles Colosseum, the fans in red and black showed up with loud and electric support.
Related Post: Breaking: Abbotsford Canucks Win Calder Cup
Things started out great for the Checkers. In the first period, they opened the scoring and added another later. John Leonard opened the scoring in the first three minutes of play, and Jack Devine one-timed a feed from Eamon Powell at 13:14.
But before the period closed, the Canucks went to the power play and capitalised on it, as Sammy Blais wristed one from the far left point past Kaapo Kähkönen. After the first, the winning situation for the Checkers slowly collapsed and sided with the Canucks.
During the middle frame, the Canucks added two and took the lead. Danila Klimovich tucked a loose puck in deep past a tangled Kähkönen and tied the game. That energy drove the momentum forwards for Abbotsford, as less than three minutes before the buzzer, Linus Karlsson snapped the puck past the short-side pocket of Kähkönen from a corner feed by Arshdeep Bains.
After the second period of scoring and lead gaining, the Canucks stopped the Checkers from another scoring chance during the third period — the team’s final chance at tying the game and ushering in another overtime period. Three minutes before the final buzzer, the Checkers’ bench pulled Kähkönen for an extra attacker in the hopes of tying the game at 3. However, the empty net scheme did not award the team in good favour, as the Canucks made good clears from their zone to avoid a scoring chance.
The final seconds ticked down and the Canucks bench jumped in the celebration before and after the buzzer. When the horn blew, the Canucks players on the bench and on the ice jumped in celebration, throwing their helmets, mitts and sticks in the air as they all strided toward Arturs Silovs.
For player MVP, AHL commissioner Scott Howson presented and awarded the Jack A. Butterfield Trophy, and shortly after presented the Calder Cup to captain Chase Wouters.
For the first time in 55 years, the Canucks have won a championship, marking the first of the Vancouver Canucks’ organisation to win a championship in recent years. Lead by rookie head coach Manny Malhotra, the Canucks drove through the 2025 playoffs in style: beating the Tucson Roadrunners 2-1, Coachella Valley Firebirds 3-1, and the Texas Stars 4-2 before winning the Calder Cup in Charlotte.
ITR 43: It's Winning Time – Inside The Rink
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