The Vancouver Canucks got back on track in a big way Tuesday night, riding a milestone performance from Elias Pettersson to a 5-2 victory over the Florida Panthers.
Pettersson led the charge with two goals, including the 200th of his NHL career, as Vancouver snapped out of its recent struggles following a loss to the Seattle Kraken. The Swedish center wasted no time setting the tone, blasting a one-timer from inside the faceoff circle just 3:49 into the opening period on the power play. The early strike not only marked his 14th goal of the season, but also ended a lengthy 21-game scoring drought.
Vancouver’s offense stayed aggressive throughout the night. Marco Rossi delivered a strong all-around performance with a goal and two assists, while Brock Boeser orchestrated the attack with three helpers. Additional goals from Aatu Räty and Drew O’Connor rounded out a balanced scoring effort for the Canucks.
In net, Kevin Lankinen turned aside 21 of 23 shots in his 200th NHL appearance, earning his first victory since Jan. 21. His steady play helped Vancouver maintain control as Florida attempted to push back.
The Panthers, the defending Stanley Cup champions, showed flashes but couldn’t keep pace. Matthew Tkachuk recorded a goal and an assist, while Sam Bennett added a goal in his return to the lineup after missing time with an undisclosed injury. Carter Verhaeghe chipped in with two assists, but it wasn’t enough to prevent Florida from dropping its second straight game.
Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky made 17 saves in the loss. The Panthers also welcomed back defenseman Seth Jones, who returned after missing 26 games with an upper-body injury.
One of the night’s more unique storylines came with the debut of Nolan Foote for Florida. The winger, recently called up from the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers, faced off against a team coached by his father, Adam Foote, adding a personal twist to the matchup.
With the win, Vancouver regains momentum heading into its next contest, where it will host the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday. Meanwhile, Florida continues its road trip with a visit to the Edmonton Oilers, looking to halt its brief skid.
