Dahlen, Pettersson show the way again for Canucks
Forward duo combines for six goals and nine points against Jets prospects during Young Stars tournament in Penticton
PENTICTON — The dominance wasn’t as comprehensive as it was Friday night, but the Vancouver Canucks still ground out a win and Elias Pettersson and Jonathan Dahlen did their thing in the windup to the Young Stars tournament.
Pettersson and Dahlen both scored first-period goals Sunday at South Okanagan Event Centre as the Canucks built a 3-0 lead before hanging on for a 6-4 victory over the Winnipeg Jets.
WHAT WE LEARNED
The Canucks’ main camp starts Friday in Whistler and the young stars produced any number of tantalizing storylines for the NHL team, beginning with Pettersson and Dahlen.
Over their two games in Penticton, Pettersson and Dahlen combined for six goals and nine points in two Canucks victories. True, their team coughed up a 3-0 lead and the two Swedes were on the ice for two of the Jets’ goals during the second period. But the larger takeaway from the four days in the Okanagan is the Canucks have two elite offensive talents to key their rebuilding program.
“We did some good things that give us confidence, but there were some things that weren’t as good (that) we have to work on,” said Dahlen, who added an empty-net goal in the third period.
“When we were up 3-0, everyone kind of relaxed and thought it was going to work out like it did on Friday (an 8-2 Canucks win),” said Pettersson. “That includes me. I had some turnovers and made some errors in the D-zone.”
Still, Canucks director of player development Ryan Johnson took the long view with Pettersson and Dahlen.
“Elias is a special talent,” said Johnson. “I think he showed a lot of that. And I’m really excited about Jonathan Dahlen not just physically, but mentally.
“Last year was a tough year for him (Dahlen got mononucleosis early in the season before returning to Sweden). It tested him mentally as much as anything. I was hoping he’d have a big off-season, but he’d also come back a little more clear-minded.”
BULYCH SHOWS WELL
While the attention of Canucks fans were focused elsewhere, young defenceman Kaleb Bulych supplied the game-winning goal early in the third period. Bulych, a sixfoot-three, 185-pound 18-yearold, went undrafted this season and attended the Young Stars on an amateur tryout, but he showed well in Penticton.
“You’re kind of sitting in the back, but you’ve got an opportunity,” he said. “You can just go and play your game and not have to worry about any pressure.
“This is something to build off for my season. I’m pretty excited.”
TOURNEY TOO SLIM
The Young Stars generated a lot of interest in Vancouver, but this event can’t survive with two teams participating.
In Calgary Sunday, Oilers and Flames rookies staged the first of two games in their own tourney. Game 2 is Wednesday in Red Deer, Alta., but there are already discussions to bring back the Alberta teams.
The four-team tournament would likely alternate each year between Red Deer and Penticton.
“We’ll talk to (the Oilers and Flames) in the next couple of weeks,” said Canucks general manager Jim Benning. “It’s better with more teams.”
PLAY OF THE GAME
Shortly after Adam Gaudette opened the scoring for the Canucks, Pettersson ripped a one-timer past Jets goalie Duncan McGovern from the right faceoff circle. It doesn’t take much imagination to envision Brock Boeser setting up on the left side of future Canucks power plays with Pettersson on the right.
PLAYER OF THE GAME
Canucks goalie Ivan Kulbakov faced 35 shots over the final two periods and made a number of critical saves when the Canucks took the lead on Bulych’s goal. But the Canucks’ best player, as he was throughout the tournament, was Gaudette.
At 22, Gaudette was likely the most NHL-ready player at the Young Stars.
“I thought he was great,” Johnson said.