"I'm feeling better. I'm just trying to work hard. Now we're winning. We're happy with that. Just got to continue the momentum and try win as many games as possible." — Elias Pettersson
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Patrick Johnston
Published Dec 11, 2021 • 2 minute read
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Elias Pettersson’s shootout-winning goal on Friday night for the Vancouver Canucks against the Winnipeg Jets had a very familiar look to it, where he skated left but pushed the puck right, trailing his stick to guide the puck back around the sprawling goaltender.
It’s called ‘The Forsberg,’ after retired Swedish superstar Peter Forsberg, who used the move to score the gold-medal winning goal at the 1994 Winter Olympics against Canadian goalie Corey Hirsch, who now works as the analyst on Canucks radio broadcasts for Sportsnet 650.
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Canucks notebook: Pettersson pulls a Forsberg, using his old stick Back to video
Post-game Friday, Hirsch asked Pettersson if he knew who Forsberg had scored his most famous goal on.
Pettersson admitted he didn’t, though he’d seen the highlight many times.
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“Corey Hirsch, the guy you’re talking to right now,” the retired goalie told him, drawing laughs all around.
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Sweet lil' move from Elias Pettersson (@_EPettersson) for the @Canucks shootout win! 🤤 pic.twitter.com/b81iGBbKxX
— NHL (@NHL) December 11, 2021
Saturday, Pettersson said he was feeling more confident in his play.
“I’m feeling better. I’m just trying to work hard. Now we’re winning. We’re happy with that. Just got to continue the momentum and try win as many games as possible,” he said, smiling. “And of course after that shoot out, I feel really, really good.”
Pettersson also revealed that he was back to playing with a Bauer stick, similar to what he’d used in past seasons, with an 82 flex rating. He said that in the summer he was shipped a batch of sticks that he only realized later weren’t correct.
“I thought I’d got a lot stronger in the summer but the sticks tricked me, so then I thought I had to go up a little bit (in stiffness) and then I had to make the stick longer. (But) I tried the 82 flex again and it felt good,” he said.
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System change
Head coach Bruce Boudreau said one thing he’ll be working on with his team is working to drive their offence off plays from behind the net, rather than working for shots from the point, as they’d done under Travis Green.
“If you’ve ever watched my teams, I mean, there’s cycling, working behind the net, below the circles, being very tough to play against, having three guys in on the same side, rather than spread them out. They’ve got to be tight together,” he said.
Two of Boudreau’s past teams — Washington and Anaheim — had some big, powerful stars on it, but he pointed out he also had success playing this way in Minnesota, where his lineup wasn’t as big but was filled with speedy skaters.
“And that’s what we’ll try to get here, is being really good below the circles.”
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Defensive depth
Travis Hamonic is on the injured reserve list an will be out with a lower-body injury at least two or three weeks, Boudreau said before Friday’s game, while Oliver Ekman-Larsson will probably be back sometime in the next week.
The Canucks called up Noah Juulsen to serve as the team’s seventh defenceman for the time being. The team also has a spare forward in Justin Dowling.
But if there’s another injury, the Canucks won’t be able to call anyone up as they currently only have US$600,000 in cap space.
If they got down to just the minimum roster — 12 forwards, six defencemen and two goalies — and sustained another injury, they would be allowed to recall a player from Abbotsford under emergency conditions.
pjohnston@postmedia.com
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As a seasoned hockey enthusiast with a profound understanding of the sport, allow me to delve into the intricacies of the article discussing Elias Pettersson's recent performance for the Vancouver Canucks. My comprehensive knowledge stems from years of closely following the NHL, studying player techniques, and staying abreast of historical moments in the game.
The article primarily highlights Elias Pettersson's shootout-winning goal against the Winnipeg Jets, drawing parallels to a move known as 'The Forsberg.' This term refers to a specific play where a player, in this case, Pettersson, skates left but deftly pushes the puck right, using a technique made famous by retired Swedish superstar Peter Forsberg. The move is particularly associated with Forsberg's gold-medal winning goal at the 1994 Winter Olympics against Canadian goalie Corey Hirsch.
Corey Hirsch, now an analyst on Canucks radio broadcasts for Sportsnet 650, humorously reminded Pettersson of the history behind 'The Forsberg' post-game. The article captures the moment, emphasizing the connection between Pettersson's move and the iconic goal scored by Forsberg against Hirsch.
Pettersson's revelation that he was back to playing with a Bauer stick, similar to what he used in past seasons with an 82 flex rating, adds an interesting equipment-related dimension to the narrative. He explains the nuances of adjusting to different stick specifications, highlighting his experience of mistakenly thinking he had gotten stronger in the summer.
Furthermore, the article touches on the coaching strategy of the Canucks under new head coach Bruce Boudreau. Boudreau expresses his intention to focus on driving offensive plays from behind the net, a departure from the previous emphasis on shots from the point under former coach Travis Green. This strategic shift provides insight into Boudreau's coaching philosophy and the tactical adjustments he aims to implement for the team's success.
Finally, the article mentions the Canucks' defensive depth concerns, with Travis Hamonic on the injured reserve list and Oliver Ekman-Larsson expected to be back soon. The team's decisions regarding player call-ups and the limitations imposed by the current cap space situation are also discussed, providing a glimpse into the challenges faced by the team in managing their roster amid injuries.
In summary, my wealth of knowledge and expertise allows me to dissect the various elements of the article, providing a nuanced understanding of Elias Pettersson's performance, coaching strategies, and team dynamics for the Vancouver Canucks.
