The Canucks chose forward Elias Pettersson with the fifth overall selection in 2017 and now the team has a defenseman in the organization who just happens to have the same name. "I'm a little bit shocked," said the Swedish blueliner "It's just amazing." He is slated to play for Orebro HK of the Swedish Hockey League next season.

These teams both failed to score in the first period, but they combined six goals in the middle frame. Pettersson's first tally tied the game, 1-1, while his second gave Vancouver a 3-2 advantage they simply couldn't hold on to. He finished the night with an even rating and eight shots on goal in 19:03 of ice time. The 23-year-old has registered nine points in his last five games. He's up to 31 goals and 65 points in 76 games this season. He got off to a rocky start, but he's been very good down the stretch. 

Pettersson was a dominant force on Monday night and kept Vancouver's playoff hopes alive with his performance. The 23-year-old got on the board in the latter stages of the first period to give the Canucks a 2-1 lead. Early in the second frame, Pettersson picked up a secondary assist on Brock Boeser's 20th goal of the season. Finally in the third period, he put an exclamation mark on the big win with a goal to extend the Canucks' lead to 6-2. Pettersson has 29 goals and 63 points through 74 games.

Pettersson started his night with a pair of assists on Bo Horvat's power-play marker (1-1) and Tanner Pearson's goal that extended the Canucks' lead (3-1). The 23-year-old got on the board with a goal of his own in the second frame after he was set up by J.T. Miller and Oliver Ekman-Larsson. Pettersson scored his second goal of the game on a power-play in the early stages of the third period to seal the victory for Vancouver. He has 24 goals and 29 assists through 69 games.