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Vancouver Canucks Captain Quinn Hughes Stands Up for Elias Pettersson in Post-Game Interview
Photo credit: Sportsnet
Vancouver Canucks captain Quinn Hughes was quite vocal post-game in defense of his teammate, Elias Pettersson, who is finally turning things around after a slow season thus far.
The Vancouver Canucks welcomed back Quinn Hughes got a big boost on Wednesday night as Quinn Hughes returned to the lineup after missing four games with an undisclosed injury.
Hughes' return came at the perfect time as the Canucks were facing a Calgary Flames team they were only one point back of in the Western Conference wild card picture.
Quinn Hughes stands up for Elias Pettersson in post-game interview
Right from the moment the puck dropped, it felt like a playoff game with the intensity and desperation both teams were playing with as a crucial two points were on the line.
Vancouver Canucks forward Elias Pettersson, who is starting to turn things around, had a big game for his team and played a key role in their shootout victory over the Flames.
With less than seven minutes remaining in the third period, Pettersson picked up a loose puck off a rebound and fired it past Dustin Wolf to tie the game at 3-3 and later on, would score in the shootout.
After the game, Quinn Hughes spoke with Sportsnet's Ryan Leslie and stood up for Elias Pettersson after all the criticism he's faced throughout the season.
"Yeah, I'm really happy for him. He took a lot of crap this year and we obviously need him at this point in time with 17 games left and he showed up today. He brought his A game and we're going to continue to need him to do that, but obviously I'm proud of him. He's a competitive guy too. You don't get to the level he's gone to without having desire and it's been a hard little run for him, but he's a great player and he's going to be just fine, you saw tonight." Hughes said.
In his last four games, Elias Pettersson has four points (three goals, one assist) and nine shots on goal, which is exactly what you need to see from him in the most important time of the 2024-25 campaign.
Hughes, Pettersson and the rest of the Vancouver Canucks will be back in action on Saturday night as they host Connor Bedard and the Chicago Blackhawks at Rogers Arena, with puck drop set for 7 pm PT on Sportsnet and CBC.
Previously on Vancouver Hockey Daily
| POLL | ||
MARS 13 | 525 ANSWERS Vancouver Canucks Captain Quinn Hughes Stands Up for Elias Pettersson in Post-Game Interview Do you think Elias Pettersson is finally back on track? | ||
| Yes | 291 | 55.4 % |
| No | 234 | 44.6 % |
| List of polls | ||
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