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Abbotsford Canucks fall 4-3 in San Diego

Gulls, Canucks split two-game set, DiPietro not in lineup for Abbotsford
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Canucks defenceman Jack Rathbone recorded two points and was one of the better players tonight for Abbotsford. (San Diego Gulls photo)

The Abbotsford Canucks win streak has ended at one in San Diego.

Playing the Gulls for the second time in two days, Abbotsford fell 4-3 on Saturday night.

The club was playing without Michael DiPietro, last night’s winning goalie, and it’s rumoured that he may be joining the Vancouver Canucks taxi squad. Arturs Silovs got the start tonight for the Canucks, but he was outplayed by Gulls goalie Francis Marotte, who made 29 saves for the win.

A scoreless first period saw San Diego outshot Abbotsford 9-8, and the Gulls opened the scoring at 6:42 of the second when Danny O’Regan connected on a power play goal. Hunter Drew made it 2-0 San Diego at 17:33, but Jack Rathbone scored a late power play goal to see the Canucks within one heading into the third.

Abbotsford had a glorious opportunity to even the game up with a five-minute power play after a check to the head goal, but that man advantage backfired and San Diego’s Alex Limoges scored a shorthanded marker. Trevor Carrick scored the eventual game winner at 11:48. Abbotsford got late goals from Justin Bailey and Phil Di Giuseppe.

Bailey had a three-point night, while Rathbone added two. The young defenceman was one of the better player on the ice for Abbotsford, and looked particularly effective on the power play, which went two for five. Nic Petan also added two helpers and both he and Bailey recorded six shots.

The game was full of rough stuff, as some of the bad blood from yesterday spilled over. Both Chase Woters and Danila Klimovich dropped the gloves for Abbotsford.

The Canucks record falls to 11-12-3-1 on the season and they sit in seventh place in the Pacific division.

Abbotsford will remain in California and next take on the Ontario Reign on Monday (Jan. 17). The game has a special 3 p.m. start time as Monday is Martin Luther King Jr. Day in the United States.

RELATED: DiPietro backstops Abbotsford Canucks to 5-1 win



Ben Lypka

About the Author: Ben Lypka

I joined the Abbotsford News in 2015.
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