Canucks tame Kodiaks

Tonight, the Calgary Canucks have their post-season fate in their own hands.

After Monday’s 6-3 win over the No. 3-seeded Camrose Kodiaks at the Max Bell Centre, the No. 6 Canucks pulled ahead 2-1 in their best-of-five Alberta Junior Hockey League south playoff series.

A victory tonight at home would advance the Canucks to the second round.

“I’m excited to see what they’ll do with this opportunity,” said head coach Ryan Barrett. “I think it’s new for some of the guys to be in a position like this.

“But you can expect a big game out of Camrose (tonight). They’ll have a day to make some adjustments and we’ll expect a much better team, I can guarantee you that.”

The first 10 minutes featured five goals, a goalie change, 16 penalties and two fights. But the Canucks managed to establish a lead and hung onto it.

Within the first two minutes and 17 seconds, Brett Pinder and Gianni Mangone gave Calgary a 2-0 lead to chase starting Kodiaks goalie Brayden Hopfe. Matt Gibney came in in relief.

Camrose’s Connor Mailey responded moments later, but Calgary quickly took advantage of the visitors’ scrambly defensive play. They broke open the scoring with goals from Mangone and Curtis Lewington to lead 4-1 after the first 20 minutes.

Also Monday, the No. 5-seeded Olds Grizzlys beat the No. 4 Calgary Mustangs 3-2 at Olds to pull ahead in the series 2-1. Okotoks, the No. 2 seeded team in the south division, won 5-3 to go up 2-1 on the No. 7 Drumheller Dragons.