There’s something about Artūrs Šilovs and the playoffs it seems.

Šilovs was superb pinch hitting in the Vancouver Canucks’ net in last year’s NHL post-season, and he’s shining once again this time around in the AHL playoffs for the Abbotsford Canucks. 

The 24-year-old Latvian made 22 saves in a 2-0 win over the Colorado Eagles before an announced crowd of 6,158 at the Abbotsford Centre Friday night to open the best-of-five AHL Pacific Division final. Game 2 is Sunday (6 p.m.) in Abbotsford, and the series shifts to Colorado after that, starting with Game 3 Wednesday.

Abbotsford and Colorado are among the eight teams still standing in the AHL playoffs.

Šilovs has stopped 76-of-77 (. 987 save percentage) in Abbotsford’s last three games. Abbotsford ended off the last round with wins of 3-1 and then 2-0 over the Coachella Valley Firebirds. He was named the game’s first star in all three of those outings.

“He’s been a rock back there,” Abbotsford captain Chase Wouters told the media afterwards. “He’s doing it for us out there right now and that’s what it takes this time of year.” 

Abbotsford got a second-period marker from centre Ty Mueller to open the scoring and then an empty-net goal in the waning seconds from defenceman Victor Mancini on Friday.

Former Vancouver Giants goalie Trent Miner made 22 saves for the Eagles, who are the farm club of the Colorado Avalanche. 

The Eagles were the top-scoring team in the AHL during the regular season, averaging 3.47 goals per game. Colorado (43-21-5-3) finished first in the Pacific Division, two points ahead of runner-up Abbotsford (44-24-2-2). The Canucks did go 6-2-0-0 against the Eagles in their regular season series.

Šilovs was thrust into playoff duty last year with Vancouver after injuries sidelined both Thatcher Demko and Casey DeSmith, and he wound up with a 2.91 goals against average and a .898 save percentage in 10 appearances.

With Demko injured and DeSmith departing as a free agent, Šilovs had a chance for an extended run in the Vancouver cage off the top of this season. But he gave up 15 goals in his first three starts, free agent addition Kevin Lankinen flourished and Šilovs was sent to the minors when Demko was healthy. 

Šilovs was 2-6-1, with a 3.65 goals against average and an .861 save percentage with Vancouver this season.

Šilovs and Nikita Tolopilo split duties with Abbotsford in the regular season. Šilovs was 14-5-1, with a 2.41 goals against average and a .908 save percentage.

In these AHL playoffs, Šilovs is 6-1, with a 1.50 goals against average and a .942 save percentage. Tolopilo has one relief appearance in the post-season so far, coming on to start the second period in what wound up being a 5-4 overtime loss to Coachella Valley in Game 2 of the last round.

SEwen@postmedia.com

@SteveEwen