Pettersson scores twice 44 seconds apart and Canucks hold off Sharks 4-3

By The Associated Press

Vancouver Canucks' Elias Pettersson, center, celebrates after his goal with Carson Soucy (7) and Noah Juulsen (47) during second-period NHL hockey game action against the San Jose Sharks in Vancouver, British Columbia, Monday, Dec. 23, 2024. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP)[ASSOCIATED PRESS/ETHAN CAIRNS]

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Elias Pettersson scored two goals 44 seconds apart in the second period to snap a seven-game scoring drought and the Vancouver Canucks held on to beat the San Jose Sharks 4-3 on Monday night.

Kiefer Sherwood and Brock Boeser also scored for the Canucks, who ended a three-game winless skid. Quinn Hughes had two assists. Thatcher Demko stopped 26 shots.

Pettersson left the game early in the third period and didn’t return.

William Eklund, on a two-man power play, and Cody Ceci scored for San Jose, which is winless in five games (0-4-1). Luke Kunin also scored with 4.7 seconds left.

Yaroslav Askarov made 20 saves.

Takeaways

Canucks: Vancouver gave up the opening goal for the 18th time in 34 games. The Canucks have a 10-6-2 record in those games. Boeser, who had two goals in Saturday’s 5-4 overtime loss to Ottawa, scored in back-to-back games for the first time since Oct.17-19.

Sharks: North Vancouver native Macklin Celebrini, who San Jose picked first overall in June’s NHL draft, marked his first game in his hometown with a pair of assists. Eklund’s goal was the first San Jose power-play goal in two games.

Key moment

The Canucks broke open a close game with three goals in 70 seconds in the second period. Sherwood and Pettersson scored just 26 seconds apart to give Vancouver a 3-1 lead. The Sharks argued for goaltender interference on Pettersson’s goal, but the officials didn’t agree. Petterson scored 44 seconds into the resulting delay of game penalty.

Key stat

Hughes has nine assists in Vancouver’s last seven games.

Up next

Sharks: Host the Calgary Flames on Saturday.

Canucks: Host the Seattle Kraken on Saturday.

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AP NHL: https://www.apnews.com/hub/NHL