Who is the real Danila Klimovich?
The mercurial Abbotsford Canucks right-winger has gone from Calder Cup playoffs lineup afterthought to talk of the town. He has two dramatic overtime goals and his latest propelled the AHL affiliate of the parent Vancouver Canucks to a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven league championship series.
It’s the stuff of dreams.
Kilmovich’s second extra-session strike came midway through the second overtime Friday. It was a quick pivot off the side boards, and then unloading a power play wrister from the faceoff dot that found the post and then the net, to cap a stunning 4-3 decision.
“They (Checkers) came as advertised and are extremely aggressive on the penalty kill and got a number of quality looks the other way,” said Abbotsford head coach Manny Malhotra. “The fact we were able to stall it out and recover a puck was huge for us.
“The mindset in overtime is getting pucks to the net and Klimo (Klimovich) did a good job.”
Game 2 against the Charlotte Checkers had at 1 p.m. PT in North Carolina and is deadlocked 2-2 after two periods.
It was evident in the opener Friday that the Canucks must start better, play at a higher pace, and have somebody rise to the occasion once again. It won’t be winger Jonathan Lekkerimaki, who sits for a fifth-straight game, and his lack of speed and engagement in the postseason have kept him from being effective
The Canucks were outshot 54-30 in Game 1, including 16-7 in the first overtime, and standout goaltender Arturs Silovs is a big reason why the Canucks have got to this place.
His string of superlative performances include five post-season shutouts, one shy of the AHL record. It was established by former Canucks goaltender Mika Noronen in backstopping the Rochester Americans to the league title in 2000. Silovs also has a 1.94 goals-against average and .931 saves percentage in 19 post-season starts of his impressive run. He’ll be tested again Sunday.
“They (Checkers) are a volume shooting team and it’s not shocking with their totals, but we have to limit the number of quality chances they’re getting, admitted Malhotra. “The skate really well apply a lot of pressure. Arty came up with huge saves late in the game to keep us in it (Friday).”
Abbotsford Canucks winger Danila Klimovich is denied in Game 4 of the Western Conference final against the Texas Stars on June 4, but would then strike in double overtime.
As for the opportunistic Klimovich, he also played unlikely hero in the Western Conference final series against the Texas Stars. He roofed home a high backhander at 3:21 of the second overtime on June 4 to give the Canucks a 3-1 series lead. The big winger was scratched for the first three games of that series.
Klimovich, 22, has another year left on his entry level contract to build his game. He had 25 goals and 38 points in 65 regular-season games in 2024-25 and has three goals in 11 playoff games. He has always been a curiosity from the moment the Canucks made the Belarus native and junior level sharpshooter a surprise second-round pick in the 2021 NHL Draft.
He could score, but could he be responsible and gain trust of the coach? Those 28 goals in 37 games of a second-tier Belarus junior loop in 2021, and six goals in five games at the world Under-18 in 2021, look good on paper.
“We think there’s a lot of upside,” Canucks director of amateur scouting Todd Harvey said at the 2021 Draft. “I saw him three or four times at the (under-18) tournament and every time he did something it made me go: ‘Wow.’ With his size and determination, it really sold it for me.
“We zeroed in on him and really think we have a player here.”
The rite of passage for Klimovich has been rocky. Multiple benchings, scoring droughts and gaining the trust of Malhotra to be inserted in the lineup, especially when it matters most, has been a journey.
If you aren’t able to watch the game in person, or via stream, scroll down for the play-by-play updates from today’s game. Be sure to hit the refresh button for the latest update.
THIRD PERIOD
3:19:
Crowd count for Game 2 is 8,689. That’s impressive.
3:14:
Both teams a little tentative to start frame, worried more about making a mistake in this deadlock than making an offensive play. And then, ping, Tristen Nielsen wires one off crossbar.
SECOND PERIOD
End of period. Still even at 2-2. Checkers still dominating shots at 29-9.
2:45:
Artus Silovs snags a Grade A scoring chance on Charlotte power play to keep Abby close. Canucks have just two shots in the period, while Checkers own 28-9 advantage.
2:40:
Jujhar Khaira with the retaliation crosscheck at 14:49 to put the Checkers on their fourth power play. Abby playing with fire.
2:36:
Trevor Carrick of the Checkers off for holding at 11:39. Time for the Canucks to generate some much-needed momentum.
2:34:
Sammy Blais is getting booed every time Canucks’ veteran winger steps on the ice. Playing with an edge and his playoff-leading 71 penalty minutes have a lot to do with the hate.
2:27:
Abby with just one shot in period through 8:14 and is being outshot 20-8 overall.
2:20:
Justin Sourdif denied by Arturs Silovs with wrist shot from the high slot looking for goal in third-straight game.
2:14
Sammy Blais very slow to get up after a big hit from former Vancouver Giants winger Justin Sourdif at 1:53. Heads to the room, jaws with fans on his exit. Would be great if they ever make a ‘Slap Shot 2’ flick. And Sammy Blais quickly returns. Could be fireworks.
2:11:
Arturs Silovs flashes the leather to deny Will Lockwood’s wrist shot on the fly from slot in opening minute.
FIRST PERIOD
End of period. All even at 2-2. Checkers up 16-7 on shot clock.
1:45:
Good power-play pressure with multiple chances before Linus Karlsson takes feed at side of net and steps across the crease for the wrap to make it 2-2 at 17:38 with his league-leading 10th postseason marker.
1:42
After taking three-straight penalties, Canucks finally go to power play. Jesse Puljujarvi with an interference minor at 16:27. Abby is 13-for-57 on PP in playoffs at 22.8 per cent. Christian Wolanin with good chance to even it up with wrister from high slot.
1:37:
Ice is tilted. Checkers up 15-4 on shot clock. Charlotte making clean zone exits, breezing through neutral zone, and not getting much resistance. Arturs Silovs keeping it close.
1:33:
Arshdeep Bains denied on shorthanded move to net off wing. Second shorthanded chance of frame for Abby.
1:31:
Discipline an early factor for Canucks. Christian Wolanin with the slash of frustration.
1:28:
As we said earlier, coach won’t like this. Wilmer Skoog fakes a high-slapper on power play, steps wide on Victor Mancini and picks the far side on Arturs Silovs at 11:14 to give Checkers 2-1 lead. Charlotte was 3-for-48 in playoffs win paltry 6.25 conversion percentage heading into Game 2.
1:27:
Manny Malhotra didn’t like his team’s start in series opener Friday. And he won’t like today. Checkers started fast, got to Arturs Silovs in a hurry and are up 8-3 on shot clock at 10:50 of first. Linus Karlsson then takes needless cross-checking penalty. Bad trend.
1:15:
Chase Wouters denied on shorthand breakaway move to the backhand by Kaapo Kahkonen.
1:12
Canucks are awarded tying goal after Checkers contest net had first been knocked off mooring. Sammy Blais deposits a Jujhar Khaira rebound for his fourth of playoffs to even it up at 4:15. Blais gets goalie interference on the play. Go figure. Goal counts. Maybe interference after goal.
1:10
John Leonard takes a cross-ice feed at top of the crease and, while on his knees, opens scoring with seventh of playoffs at 3:13. It’s his seventh goal of the playoffs, two behind leader Linus Karlsson
1:08
Arturs Silovs denies MacKenzie Entwhistle on the short side.
1:06
Former Canucks winger Will Lockwood with the hit as Checkers apply first-shift pressure.
More to come …
Read more about the Abbotsford Canucks:
• Jonathan Lekkerimäki is noticeably absent from Abbotsford Canucks last four playoff games
• Abbotsford Canucks recap: Abby wins 4-3 in double OT on Danila Klimovich goal
• Abbotsford Canucks: Travis Green knows ‘it’s not a race’ for Manny Malhotra to run an NHL bench
More to come …