Elias Pettersson scored twice, including the tying goal with 1:20 remaining in regulation, and netted the shootout winner to lift the Vancouver Canucks to a thrilling 6-5 victory over the Seattle Kraken on Thursday night.
Pettersson, who also had three assists, tied the game with a powerful shot from above the faceoff circle with goalie Spencer Martin pulled for an extra attacker. Returning after missing two games due to a non-COVID-19 illness, Pettersson delivered an outstanding performance.
“I was running on no energy, just wanting the puck to go in,” Pettersson said.
Canucks coach Bruce Boudreau praised Pettersson’s remarkable return.
“That’s six days off the ice, and then he came in and did what he did tonight,” Boudreau said. “Pretty amazing. I don’t think you guys realize how much of an anomaly that is, being off six days and then playing that great. It defies logic.”
Vancouver had a power play in the final minute of 3-on-3 overtime after Seattle’s Jordan Eberle was called for holding but couldn’t capitalize.
Andrei Kuzmenko contributed a goal and two assists for Vancouver, while Lane Pederson scored his first goal in his third NHL game and added an assist. Brock Boeser also found the net. The Canucks have now won all six meetings against the Kraken.
Spencer Martin made 31 saves for the Canucks.
Daniel Sprong scored twice for Seattle, and Jared McCann, Oliver Bjorkstrand, and Alex Wennberg also netted goals. Bjorkstrand and Sprong scored 10 seconds apart in the second period to give the Kraken a 3-1 lead.
“The result is disappointing,” Wennberg said. “We just worked really hard. I feel like we emptied the tank today, and unfortunately, it didn’t work out.”
The Canucks overcame three separate two-goal deficits.
“We don’t do anything the easy way,” Boudreau said. “Give the team credit for not quitting. That’s a testament to the boys in the room.”
Kuzmenko reduced the deficit to 4-3 at 5:13, scoring off the rebound of Pederson’s shot. Sprong scored his second of the night just over a minute later, tipping in a pass from Brandon Tanev. Boeser brought Vancouver back within one, redirecting Pettersson’s shot past goalie Martin Jones on a power play at 8:52.
Jones made 32 saves for the Kraken.
“We’re here to win a hockey game, and we didn’t do that,” Seattle coach Dave Hakstol said. “We have to do better when we’ve got a two-goal lead. That’s a game we feel like we should be able to close out.”
UP NEXT
Kraken: Host Calgary on Wednesday night.
Canucks: Visit Edmonton on Friday night.
