Vancouver convincingly controlled play and piled up nearly 40 shots to grind out a much-needed 3-2 victory over the Anaheim Ducks.

The Canucks built themselves a bit of a cushion in the standings before the 4 Nations Face-Off break. But a disastrous 1-4-0 post-break road trip has left their playoff spot vulnerable.

First he wasn’t skating. Now he’s not shooting. The hope that Elias Pettersson, liberated from season-long drama by the trade of J.T. Miller on Jan. 31, might be re-energized and re-launch his difficult season has dissipated in February.

The Vancouver Canucks played with their lines at practice today and Elias Pettersson has been reunited with Nils Höglander.

Thomas Drance for The Athletic: The Vancouver Canucks ended their post-4 Nations Face-Off skid Wednesday night, defeating the Los Angeles Kings 3-2 in overtime in a slow-motion affair that suddenly became a third-period thriller. The win was punctuated by Quinn Hughes’ return to the lineup.

Canucks forward Elias Pettersson has zero goals and only three assists in his last 10 games, and has opened up about his struggles.

Staying or going? Here's why the Canucks should not consider a second blockbuster trade, this time involving Elias Pettersson.

Kiefer Sherwood scored late in the third period as the Vancouver Canucks downed the Minnesota Wild 3-1 on Friday. Elias Pettersson opened the scoring for the Canucks (29-22-11) on a man advantage midway through the first period.

All that has come into play for the perplexing and consistently inconsistent Vancouver Canucks, who are coming off a dismal 1-4-0 road trip after going on an impressive 6-1-1 run before the 4 Nations Face-Off break.