The Vancouver Canucks had their backs against the wall in their biggest game of the season so far.
Vancouver entered Wednesday’s game against the Calgary Flames with a 3-6-1 record since the 4 Nations tournament. It’s been a nightmare manufacturing offence, with the club’s consistently being limited to two or fewer goals. Up front, the Canucks have sometimes looked like a team icing three third lines in its top nine rather than a true top six. Vancouver had a fatigue disadvantage, having played the night before against the Montreal Canadiens, whereas the Flames hadn’t played a game since Saturday.
To make matters worse, the Canucks blew two leads and entered the third period down a goal. They needed a third-period comeback — which has been practically impossible for the club to come by this season — to secure the 2 points they couldn’t afford to fumble.
Vancouver impressively put together a furious, desperate third-period effort, clawing its way back to tie the score in the third before winning in the shootout.
Quinn Hughes was excellent in his return to the lineup. He logged 29:48 against Calgary while driving play and setting up scoring chances at will. Elias Pettersson was the hero to tie the score and score one of the two crucial shootout goals that won the game.
Here are three takeaways from Vancouver’s huge 4-3 shootout win.
Keep an eye on the Canucks’ blue-line health
Hughes’ return to the lineup was a massive boost.
He looked far less restricted against Calgary than he did in the three games he played after the 4 Nations break before his most recent lineup absence. Hughes was smooth and explosive with the puck, generating multiple chances and picking up an assist on Jake DeBrusk’s tipped power-play goal in the second period. It’s clear, however, he’s still at less than 100 percent health and probably won’t get there for the remainder of this season.
The rest of Vancouver’s blue line has been healthy lately, but that could change.
Tyler Myers blocked a shot and was in pain late in Tuesday’s game against the Canadiens and did not dress against the Flames. Pettersson took a cheap shot from Connor Zary after the rookie defenceman crushed Nazem Kadri. Pettersson left the game at the end of the first period and did not return.
Here is a closer look at the Connor Zary retaliation on D-Petey.
Should Zary be suspended for this play?
🎥: Sportsnet | NHL#Canucks #Flames https://t.co/A3Ar65Wc6n pic.twitter.com/wKJi2cT1gx
— CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) March 13, 2025
Derek Forbort was in distress during the second period after taking a shot off his left hand. He gutted it out and played during the third, so hopefully that’s a sign he’s OK.
However, between Myers and Pettersson, Vancouver’s blue-line health will be a storyline to follow in the days ahead.
How the Canucks nearly sabotaged themselves
If the Canucks lost in regulation, the short-handed two-on-none rush goal they surrendered, which allowed Calgary to tie the score 2-2 in the second period, would have been circled as the moment they self-destructed.
The breakdown involved several mistakes and multiple players. It began with Hughes’ power-play dump-in deflecting off Jonathan Huberdeau’s stick and not going in deep. Vancouver should have been fine after the turnover because Hughes was above Huberdeau and Filip Chytil was back deep in the defensive zone. Nothing about the picture below screams pending crisis:
(Screenshot via Sportsnet)
MacKenzie Weegar chipped the puck into the neutral zone for Kevin Rooney on the left wing. Kiefer Sherwood lunged in but couldn’t intercept the pass. Chytil dangerously dove in to try to cut the play off but missed and fell. Hughes, meanwhile, was puck watching and didn’t backcheck to pick up Huberdeau, who was wide open for a backdoor tap-in.
The Canucks give up a short handed 2 on 0 and the Flames tie it. pic.twitter.com/NNAo9NNdeD
— CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) March 13, 2025
Nils Åman took an undisciplined penalty shortly after and the Flames scored again to pull ahead 3-2. Good on the Canucks for coming back because these self-inflicted wounds could have been a really bad look.
Elias Pettersson leads gutsy comeback
Down a goal, with tired legs and their playoff hopes potentially on the line, the Canucks looked like they were in trouble.
They have a tough time coming from behind, Dustin Wolf’s been one of the best goalies in the NHL this season, their top forwards were pretty quiet up until that point in the night, and the troubling way they ended the second period didn’t inspire a lot of confidence.
In the biggest period of its season, Vancouver dug deep and shellacked Calgary 17-4 on the shot clock in the final frame. The Canucks fought back when many expected them to fade quietly into the night.
Pettersson, who had a quiet start to the game and played less than 11 minutes through the first two periods, came through with the game-changing play. The 26-year-old pounced on the rebound of Victor Mancini’s point shot, which Nils Höglander tipped, to score his third goal in his last four games and level the contest.
🚨CANUCKS GOAL🚨
Elias Pettersson ties the game! That’s 3 goals in his last 4 games!
🎥: Sportsnet | NHL#Canucks | #Flames pic.twitter.com/HcRTskSJXp
— CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) March 13, 2025
Pettersson was the Canucks’ first shooter in the shootout and scored a sneaky, silky-smooth five-hole goal on Wolf. He appeared to be targeting the blocker side and momentarily froze Wolf, electing to slide the puck through the talented rookie goaltender’s legs. Conor Garland scored the clutch shootout winner three rounds later.
There’s a lot of hard work ahead — the Canucks are tied with the Flames in points but still outside a playoff spot because they’ve played an additional game and have fewer regulation wins — but this is the kind of gutsy comeback victory teams can rally around.
(Photo of Elias Pettersson and Dustin Wolf: Sergei Belski / Imagn Images)
