The Vancouver Canucks have a laundry list of growing injury issues to worry about.
They played most of the third period in their 4-3 win over the San Jose Sharks without Elias Pettersson. The Swedish forward went out for one shift at the start of the final frame before going down the tunnel, where he stayed for the rest of the game.
The good news is that head coach Rick Tocchet didn’t seem too concerned when asked about the injury postgame.
“He got banged up,” said Tocchet. “I think it was in the second [period]. He tried it for one shift [in the third period], we’ve got the break so I don’t think it’s too bad.”
Rick Tocchet says Elias Pettersson “got banged up” in the second.
Goes on to say he doesn’t think it’s too bad. #Canucks
— Noah Strang (@noahstrang_) December 24, 2024
Pettersson was having perhaps his best game of the season before leaving. He scored two goals, the first time he’s done that this year, and they came less than a minute apart.
The second goal looked like vintage Pettersson. He fired home a perfectly placed wrist shot to beat goalie Yaroslav Askarov cleanly.
“We’re always telling him to shoot, you know, the way he shoots the puck,” said Tyler Myers. “For him to get two quick ones like that at the second of the second, it was great to see Petey get that and build some momentum out of it.”
It was a huge performance for a player who had been mired in a six-game point drought.
Are y’all saving any goals for the third period @Canucks? 😅 pic.twitter.com/B1RfEGvwaM
— Sports on Prime Canada (@SportsOnPrimeCA) December 24, 2024
“He’s too good, he’s going to breakout at some point,” said Quinn Hughes. “Glad that he was able to do that tonight. Hopefully for him he can enjoy the next couple days like all of us, regroup and get ready to go.”
The Canucks are now on their holiday break and don’t play again until December 28 when the Seattle Kraken visit town. Those days off couldn’t come at a better time with Pettersson banged up, as well as Hughes fighting through an injury. The defenceman was a game-time decision last night but ended up playing, recording two points and looking like his usual impressive self.
“Our captain, dealing with some stuff, to play and get two points for us, really proud of him. He sucked it up tonight,” said Tocchet.
“I think that the break is coming at a fortunate time,” said Hughes. “We’ve got three days here just recover and regroup and see what’s going on after that.”