NEW YORK. Sweden got a new member in the NHL’s 100 club last night – for the second time in a day.
Elias Pettersson scored both his 100th and 101st points when Vancouver visited Anaheim.
– I am very happy about it, says the 24-year-old star from Ånge.
It has been twelve years since a Swede – Daniel Sedin – last reached three-digit points in the NHL, but in the last 24 hours it has happened twice.
Yesterday, Erik Karlsson, as the first defender in the world’s best league in over three decades, managed to break the 100 barrier and last night he was joined in the exclusive club by Elias Pettersson.
Breathed out
On a power play 12:14 into Vancouver’s road game against Anaheim, he hit a brilliant goal-scoring pass to old radar partner Brock Boeser and thus reached the classic milestone.
– Now I can breathe again, he says with a broad smile when he meets the media in the Honda Center.
– I am very happy about this. It wasn’t something I thought about before the season, but now that it’s done it feels very good.
Already want to get better
The teammates were obviously happy to see the young Swede realize the dream and “Petey”, as they call him in Vancouver, appreciated that reaction.
– It means a lot to see everyone else so happy for me, he continues.
– I couldn’t have made it without them, I don’t play by myself, we are a team.
At the same time, Elias hopes to be able to improve the numbers even more in the coming years.
– I would like to believe that there are more levels, I always strive to get better.
Last night he managed to contribute another assist, to what became JT Miller’s match-deciding 3-2 goal at the beginning of the third period, and thus he took the lead in the Swedish scoring league before the very last round.
