Elias Pettersson broke his seven-game scoring drought by netting two goals just 44 seconds apart in the second period, leading the Vancouver Canucks to a 4-3 victory over the San Jose Sharks on Monday night.
Kiefer Sherwood and Brock Boeser also found the back of the net for the Canucks, who managed to halt their three-game winless streak. Quinn Hughes contributed with two assists, while goaltender Thatcher Demko made 26 saves before Pettersson exited the game early in the third period and did not return.
On the opposing side, William Eklund and Cody Ceci tallied goals for the struggling San Jose Sharks, who extended their winless streak to five games (0-4-1). Luke Kunin managed to score with just 4.7 seconds remaining in the game, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the Canucks.
Yaroslav Askarov stood firm in the Sharks’ net, making 20 saves but ultimately couldn’t prevent the Canucks from securing the win.
**Takeaways**
**Canucks:** Vancouver continued its trend of conceding the opening goal, marking the 18th time in 34 games this season. Despite this, the Canucks have managed to find success with a 10-6-2 record in these instances. Notably, Boeser’s goal in this game marked the first time he has scored in back-to-back games since October 17-19.
**Sharks:** Macklin Celebrini, a native of North Vancouver and the top pick for San Jose in the recent NHL draft, made an impactful return to his hometown with two assists in this game. Eklund’s goal provided a much-needed boost for the Sharks, marking their first power-play goal in two games.
**Key Moment**
The Canucks seized control of the game with a flurry of goals, scoring three times in just 70 seconds during the second period. Sherwood and Pettersson notched quick goals to propel Vancouver to a 3-1 lead. A contentious moment arose when the Sharks contested for goaltender interference on Pettersson’s goal, but the officials upheld the score. Pettersson then capitalized on the ensuing delay of game penalty, scoring just 44 seconds later.
**Key Stat**
Hughes continued his strong playmaking form with nine assists in the Canucks’ last seven games, showcasing his importance to the team’s offensive output.
**Up Next**
**Sharks:** San Jose will look to bounce back as they host the Calgary Flames on Saturday.
**Canucks:** Vancouver will aim to build on this victory as they host the Seattle Kraken on Saturday.
