The Abbotsford Canucks have a week of practice to prepare themselves for the next round of the American Hockey League postseason. The best of five Pacific Division Final against Colorado will open in the Fraser Valley on Friday night. While it will be a week between games for Abbotsford, the team has to be hoping it can maintain the momentum gained in a four-game win over Coachella Valley in the previous round.

A lengthy playoff run is never the product of just one player. Abbotsford is getting contributions from throughout the lineup, but there have been a number of notable performances through the seven games the team has played so far:

1. Arturs Silovs

Arturs Silovs has been sensational in the playoffs. He is 5-1 with a 1.74 GAA and a .935% save percentage with a pair of shutouts. He’s allowed just one goal in his last two outings and just one goal in his last three games on home ice. Silovs stopped all 29 shots he faced in Friday’s series clincher. His best stop of the night – and of the playoffs so far – came point blank of the stick of Coachella Valley’s Ian McKinnon midway through the third period with the Canucks clinging to a 1-0 lead. It truly was a game saver.

Aside from a tough start to Game 2 against the Firebirds, Silovs has been rock solid in the Canucks net. The team in front of him has done a terrific job of making sure Silovs hasn’t been called up to stand on his head. He’s done a nice job of making the saves he’s supposed to, and his defenders have ensured that the 24-year-old Latvian hasn’t been under siege. 

2. Sammy Blais

Sammy Blais has been a driving force in the Canucks playoff push. He leads the team in goals and points and has a share of the AHL playoff scoring lead. His line with Nathan Smith and Jujhar Khaira was the best forward trio on either side in the last series. Now, it’s important to note that all three of Blais’ goals – and half his points – in the playoffs have come on the power play, and all five of his assists have been secondary helpers. So the club could use a little more 5-on-5 offence from the veteran winger. But the 28-year-old rarely takes a shift off, has been a physical force and looks the part of a guy who has been through postseason battles in the National Hockey League.

3. Guillaume Brisebois

Guillaume Brisbebois has been exceptional through two rounds of the playoffs. The 27-year-old blueliner has played a lot in key situations and has been a steadying presence on the Abbotsford blueline. With fellow veterans Christian Wolanin and Jett Woo missing time due to injury, the entire defence corps has been asked to step up. Brisebois has been a huge part of a penalty kill that hasn’t surrendered a goal in 20 shorthanded situations in the playoffs. He also hasn’t taken a penalty in the playoffs so far. And he’s found himself in high-leverage situations, matching up against top players on other teams and preserving leads late in games. On top of all that, Brisebois has chipped in with a goal and an assist. 

4. Phil Di Giuseppe

Whether in the NHL or now in the AHL, Phil Di Giuseppe does what he always does: shows up, competes, plays hard and helps his team. At this level, he’s able to generate more than he does in the NHL. Di Giuseppe is tied with Blais and Linus Karlsson for the team lead with three playoff goals and is second on the club with six points. Three of his six points have come on empty net goals, but that speaks to the trust Manny Malhotra has in the 31-year-old to be out there in late game situations protecting – and ultimately stretching – leads and converting them into victories. Di Giuseppe is second on the team in shots in the playoffs with 18. He uses his size and speed effectively to get in on the forecheck and has been a handful for opposing defences in the first two rounds.

5. Kirill Kudryavtsev

The young Russian has continued his impressive rookie season into the playoffs. It’s a season that saw him produce 26 points in 65 regular season games and earned him a late season look in the National Hockey League. The 21-year-old may be playing his best hockey of the season right now. He has a goal and two assists through six playoff games. He picked up the primary assist on Max Sasson’s game winner on a first period power play on Friday night. In the absence of Christian Wolanin, the rookie is seeing time with the man advantage and doesn’t look out of place. Remarkably, he hasn’t been on the ice for a 5-on-5 goal against in the playoffs. His confidence appears to be growing as does his role with this team as the Canucks move along in the postseason.

Honourable mentions

Max Sasson, Akito Hirose and Jujhar Khaira.

Waiting to launch

The Canucks will surely be looking for more in the next round from Arshdeep Bains who has four points (all assists) in seven games and they all came in the opening round against Tucson. The same applies to Jonathan Lekkerimäki, who has not scored a goal in the AHL since mid-February and has just one point in the four playoff games he’s played. Beyond that, a volume shooter, Lekkerimäki has managed just six shots on goal in his four postseason appearances.