Garland Comes up Clutch in Shootout as Canucks Beat Flames 4-3

The Vancouver Canucks and Calgary Flames fought to the bitter end; the Canucks were down 3-2 going into the third period but battled to get the two points in an overtime shootout.

Quinn Hughes was back in the lineup, tallying one assist and playing 29:48, including almost all of the five-minute overtime period. He was thankful he felt good to be able to play the way he’s used to playing and is hoping to feel even better in the next couple of games.

"That's my captain,” forward Elias Pettersson said. “[It] just shows what type of player he is and what a motor or engine, whatever you say, he has."

The Canucks were down to five defencemen early with Elias Pettersson leaving the game in the first after a high hit from Flames’ centre Connor Zary.

Head Coach Rick Tocchet talked about how important it was that Hughes made his comeback for tonight’s game.

“He makes a difference. He's a world [of] difference for us. He hasn't had a full practice, [he’s] been off that long. I don't know a lot of guys can do that; not practice and then go in and play a game and be an impact that he is. So, like I've always said, I'm lucky to have him,” Tocchet said.

Pettersson had two points (1-1-2) in the win, including a game-tying goal in the third period to send the game into overtime.

"Really happy for him. We obviously need him at this point in time, with 17 games left, and [he] showed up today, brought his A game, and we're going to continue to need him to do that,” Hughes said. “Obviously proud of him, and he's a competitive guy too. You know, you don't get to the level that he's gone to without having that inner jam and desire."

Pettersson is looking to help the Canucks build on this win, and Tocchet gave credit to the Swedish forward for coming up in big moments for the team.

“I can see him [when he was] leaving after the game, I shook his hand there [and said] ‘good game,’ but he was [looking at me] like, ‘Hey, I’ve got more to go’. I like that, he's got the even keel. He's going to put the work in, and we'll continue to grind,” Tocchet said.

Kevin Lankinen played back-to-back games, stopping 20 of 23 shots he faced.

Goals

In the first period, Pius Suter lit the lamp for Vancouver, following his shot and scoring top shelf off the rebound for his 17th of the season.

Nazem Kadri evened the score, sending both teams into the first intermission knotted 1-1.

In the second period, Jake DeBrusk tipped in the puck off of a shot from Hughes on the power play.

The Flames would get two goals, both from Jonathan Huberdeau – one shorthanded and one on the power play – to send Calgary into the final break up 3-2.

In the third, Pettersson scored off a rebound from Victor Mancini’s shot from the point that would ultimately send the game into extra time.

With incredible goaltending from Lankinen and Flames’ goaltender Dustin Wolf, no goals were scored in overtime, the game then finished in dramatic fashion with a shootout.

Pettersson scored the first goal in the shootout, but DeBrusk and Suter came up short.

Lankinen stopped Morgan Frost and Rasmus Andersson, with Huberdeau scoring to send it into sudden death. Lankinen denied Yegor Sharangovich before Conor Garland would have a chance to take the game.

Garland went wide left, coming back middle with the hesi, going glove side on Wolf for the goal and the game.

Up Next

The Canucks come back to Rogers Arena for a three-game homestand starting on Saturday, March 15th against Connor Bedard and the Chicago Blackhawks at 7:00 p.m. PT.