Ater f21 games of gritty play, smart positioning, and steady development, the 20-year-old blueliner lit the lamp for the first time in his NHL career—and did it in a big moment.
Midway through the first period of Saturday’s afternoon clash with the Anaheim Ducks, Pettersson made his mark. The Canucks were trailing 1–0 when the young defenceman jumped into the play after a strong backcheck and positioned himself perfectly in the high slot. Linus Karlsson, making a smart read after crossing into the zone and pulling a defender wide, fed Pettersson a crisp pass.
The rest? A laser-beam one-timer past Anaheim goaltender Lukas Dostal to tie the game at 1–1. Not only did the goal break Pettersson’s 21-game scoring drought, but it also sparked a Canucks offensive explosion.
Just over a minute later, Filip Hronek put Vancouver ahead, and the floodgates opened. Brock Boeser, Conor Garland, and Dakota Joshua all added goals before the first intermission, turning a tight contest into a commanding 5–1 Canucks lead after 20 minutes.
Although Ducks forward Trevor Zegras added a second-period tally, Canucks rookie Max Sasson responded with his third of the season to seal a 6–2 victory.
Pettersson’s goal wasn’t just a personal milestone—it was the catalyst for one of the Canucks’ most dominant periods this season. It also highlighted why Vancouver remains so high on their 2022 third-round pick. His ability to transition from defense to offense, read the play, and finish with poise is exactly what the Canucks hoped to see as he continues to find his footing in the NHL.
Karlsson, too, had reason to celebrate. His poised zone entry and slick setup on the play earned him his first career NHL assist, adding another silver lining to an already strong team performance.
With his first NHL goal now behind him, Pettersson can focus on building momentum—and Canucks fans can look forward to seeing more from the young Swedish defenceman who’s quietly starting to make some noise of his own.
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