Pettersson snaps goalless drought, 3 goals in 65 seconds: 3 takeaways from Vancouver Canucks 4-3 win over Pittsburgh Penguins

NHL: Pittsburgh Penguins at Vancouver Canucks - Source: Imagn
NHL: Pittsburgh Penguins at Vancouver Canucks - Source: Imagn

The Vancouver Canucks entered Saturday night's game against Sidney Crosby and the visiting Pittsburgh Penguins. The winners of three straight games are looking to make it four in a row. Theirs was the polar opposite of the Penguins situation, who were looking to break out of a four-game winless skid.

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In the end, it was Vancouver who seized on their opportunities and enjoyed a comeback victory, winning 4-3. Let's take a look at 3 takeaways from the game:

3 takeaways from Canucks victory vs. Penguins

#1, Elias Pettersson snaps goalless drought

Vancouver was trailing by the early point of the second period thanks to a first-period tally from former Canucks forward Anthony Beauvillier. This was followed by a tally from Bryan Rust just inside two minutes into the opening frame.

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However, Vancouver immediately opened the offensive floodgates. First, it was Elias Pettersson getting the monkey off his back and scoring his first goal of the season:

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The Swedish forward, who hadn't scored an even-strength goal since March of last season (a span of 32 games and 486 minutes, including the postseason), had played the first season games of 2024-25 without lighting the lamp.

It was not the kind of output that Canucks management was expecting when they recently re-signed him to an eight-year, $92.8 million extension. Pettersson, who had scored 102 and 89 points in the last two respective seasons, finally broke through and tallied his first of the year. It may be a small stepping stone, but it could be the confidence boost that he needed.

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#2, Canucks score 3 goals in 65 seconds

Just 43 seconds after Pettersson scored, Vancouver tied the game. Keifer Sherwood took a pass from Teddy Blueger on a two-on-one break and fired a shot past Alex Nedeljkovic:

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Continuing in quick succession, J.T. Miller gave the Canucks a lead that they wouldn't relinquish just 21 seconds after Sherwood's goal:

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Vancouver's three quick strikes of a trio of goals in 65 seconds were the fourth fastest in team history. The team record was set in 1993 when Ryan Walter, Sergio Momesso, and Trevor Linden all scored within 48 seconds.

The Canucks had suddenly seized the lead in less than five minutes of game time, leaving the Penguins reeling. Five minutes later, Arshdeep Bains banged home a rebound for his first NHL tally, giving the Canucks a 4-2 lead. The Penguins made things interesting in the third period with Evgeni Malkin's third of the year, but they wouldn't get any closer.

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#3. Goaltender Kevin Lankinen continues to pay off

Vancouver signed Lankinen, who played last season as the backup to Juuse Saros with the Nashville Predators, as a failsafe, thanks to the struggles of Arturs Silovs and the injury to Thatcher Demko.

He once again turned in a strong performance, picking up his fourth win. Kevin Lankinen finished with 20 saves, while Nedeljkovic finished with 30 saves for the Penguins.

Vancouver will look to make it five straight when they host the Carolina Hurricanes on Monday night at Rogers Arena.

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Edited by John Maxwell
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