Pettersson scores twice in 44 seconds, Canucks hold off Sharks

VANCOUVER -- Elias Pettersson scored two goals 44 seconds apart late in the second period for the Vancouver Canucks before leaving early in the third of a 4-3 win against the San Jose Sharks at Rogers Arena on Monday.

Pettersson left the game 3:14 into the third period after playing one shift and didn’t return.

“He got banged up,” coach Rick Tocchet said. “I think it was in the second period. He tried it one shift. We have the break. I don’t think it’s too bad.”

Tocchet liked seeing Pettersson end a six-game pointless drought before he left the game.

“Hopefully that will kick start him,” Tocchet said. “I liked his celebration. It was nice to see him scoring and get excited. I think the fans like to see that, too.”

Quinn Hughes had two assists, and Thatcher Demko made 26 saves for the Canucks (17-10-7), who had lost three straight (0-1-2).

“I told the guys after the game, the waves aren’t 12 feet. They are only three or four or five feet,” Tocchet said. “When you start the game thinking too much, it gets really rocky. Just relax. Don’t listen to the outside noise.”

Yaroslav Askarov made 20 saves for the Sharks (11-20-6), who have lost five in a row (0-4-1) and eight of their past nine (1-7-1).

“Today was four or five minutes, and we lose a hockey game because of it,” San Jose coach Ryan Warsofsky said of giving up three goals in 1:10 late in the second period. “So, it's frustrating. I feel for the guys because I thought we had a good effort tonight. We competed, we pushed back, but we have to learn from it and move on. … We got to find some mental toughness to push through and stick together and do things and clamp it down and keep it simple.”

Macklin Celebrini, the 18-year-old Sharks forward picked No. 1 in the 2024 NHL Draft, had two assists in his first NHL game in his hometown, but was more upset about his turnover that led to the first Pettersson goal.

“It starts with me. I made a bad play, they go down, they score. Can't happen,” Celebrini said. “I thought Will (Smith) was coming like kind of more towards me, and I just tried to make a play, split-second decision.”

Celebrini had friends and family at the game, including brother Aiden, a defenseman drafted by Vancouver in the sixth round (No. 171) of the 2023 NHL Draft and playing at Boston University, and their father, Dr. Rick Celebrini, who worked for the Canucks from 2014-18 before leaving to become the director of sports medicine and performance for the NBA's Golden State Warriors.

“It was exciting, a pretty packed building and in my home city, it was a cool game to play,” Celebrini said. “100 percent, it’s something I am going to remember.”

William Eklund put the Sharks ahead 1-0 during a 5-on-3 power play at 11:36 of the first period with a one-timer from the right face-off dot past Demko’s blocker. Eklund, who took a big hit from defenseman Tyler Myers before scoring, finished the first period but did not return.

Warsofsky said it was because of the hit but he didn’t have an update on the status of Eklund, a 22-year-old forward who is second in Sharks scoring with 27 points (seven goals, 20 assists) in 36 games.

“I would say it's a pretty clean hit,” Warsofsky said. “I gotta look at it again.”

Brock Boeser tied it 1-1 at 14:10 with a deflection through Askarov’s legs from the top of the crease after defenseman Quinn Hughes, who was a game-time decision with an undisclosed injury, cut down left wing and passed into the crease.

“The break is coming up at a fortunate time,” Hughes said. “The next three days here, just recover and regroup, and we'll see what's going on after that.”

Kiefer Sherwood put the Canucks ahead 2-1 off the rush at 16:42 of the second period. He took a pass from Teddy Blueger as he entered the offensive zone and beat Askarov over his blocker with a wrist shot from the top of the right circle.

“A couple pucks we didn't get deep, a puck I failed to get behind their D, they turn it up, it's in the back of our net,” Sharks forward Barclay Goodrow said. “And that kind of created momentum for their team and next thing you know, they scored three.”

Petersson scored 26 seconds later to make it 3-1 after Askarov kicked the rebound of a Jake DeBrusk rush chance into the slot, where the Canucks center was alone for a quick shot over the glove at 17:08.

San Jose challenged unsuccessfully for goaltender interference, then took a hooking penalty 12 seconds later, and Pettersson scored again on the 5-on-3 man-advantage at 17:52 to make it 4-1, shooting far side over Askarov’s glove from the right dot.

“He’s too good, he's going to break out at some point,” Hughes said of Pettersson. “I’m glad he was able to do that tonight and hopefully for him, he can enjoy the next couple days like all of us and regroup and get ready to go.”

Cody Ceci cut it to 4-2 at 4:21 of the third period with a slap shot from the top of the right circle that hit defenseman Derek Forbort in the leg and deflected through Demko.

Luke Kunin scored on a rebound with Askarov pulled for an extra attacker for the 4-3 final at 19:54.

“We just got to learn how to win,” Celebrini said. “We all believe that we can finish some of these games, now it's just about doing it.”

NOTES: San Jose defenseman Jake Walman missed the game with a lower-body injury sustained in a 3-2 overtime loss at the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday and is day-to-day. … Demko has won 12 straight games against San Jose dating back to April 2, 2019.