Elias Pettersson scores twice to lead Canucks over Panthers 5-2

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Elias Pettersson scored twice, including the 200th goal of his NHL career, and the Vancouver Canucks held on for a 5-2 win over the Florida Panthers on Tuesday night.

The Swedish center opened the scoring at the 3:49 mark of the first period, blasting a one-timer in from inside the faceoff circle during an early power play. It was his 14th tally of the season and his first goal in 21 games.

Marco Rossi also scored and contributed a pair of assists for the Canucks, who rebounded from a lopsided 5-2 loss to the Seattle Kraken on Saturday.

Vancouver center Aatu Raty and Drew O’Connor also scored and Brock Boeser added three assists. Kevin Lankinen — playing in his 200th NHL game — stopped 21 of the 23 shots he faced for his first win since Jan. 21.

The Panthers got a goal and an assist from Matthew Tkachuk. Sam Bennett also scored and Carter Verhaeghe had two assists.

Sergei Bobrovsky made 17 saves for the defending Stanley Cup champions, who lost their second straight game.

Panthers defenseman Seth Jones returned to the lineup after missing 26 games with an upper-body injury. Bennett also played after an undisclosed ailment kept him out of Florida’s 6-2 loss to the Kraken in Seattle on Sunday.

Winger Nolan Foote played his first game for the Panthers after getting called up from the AHLs Charlotte Checkers on Sunday. His dad is Canucks head coach Adam Foote.

Panthers: Visit Edmonton on Thursday.

Canucks: Host Tampa Bay on Thursday.

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Vancouver Canucks' Drew O'Connor (18) reacts to a goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Florida Panthers in Vancouver, Tuesday, March 17, 2026. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP)

Florida Panthers' Mackie Samoskevich and Vancouver Canucks' Tom Willander (5) vie for the puck during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Vancouver, Tuesday, March 17, 2026. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP)

Vancouver Canucks' Elias Pettersson (40) is stopped by Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (72) as Gustav Forsling (42) defends during the third period of an NHL hockey game in Vancouver, on Tuesday, March 17, 2026. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP)

Florida Panthers' Luke Kunin passes the puck as he is hit by Vancouver Canucks' Elias Pettersson (25) during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Vancouver, on Tuesday, March 17, 2026. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP)

Vancouver Canucks' Drew O'Connor (18) scores on Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (72) during the third period of an NHL hockey game in Vancouver, on Tuesday, March 17, 2026. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP)

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — NASCAR driver Daniel Dye was suspended Tuesday — the second known major penalty of his racing career — for mocking IndyCar driver David Malukas during a recent livestream.

In the video, which circulated Tuesday on social media, Dye used voices that made inferences about Malukas' sexuality. He mimicked Malukas' voice at one point.

Dye is a Truck Series driver for Kaulig Racing, which also suspended him. NASCAR ordered Dye to undergo sensitivity training.

Dye apologized to Malukas in a social media post, calling his comments “careless.”

“I chose my words poorly and I understand why it upset people,” he wrote. “I'm sorry to anyone who was offended. That's now I want to represent myself.

“I have some close friends in the LBGT+ community who would never want to feel less of themselves because of what I said, and that's exactly why I should hold myself to a higher standard.”

He said conversations with those friends made him recognize that “a true friend would know better than to act the way I did.”

Malukas, a 24-year-old driver for Team Penske, often posts pictures on social media with a girlfriend.

This is the second time Dye has been suspended.

He was 18 and racing in the ARCA series when he was arrested at a Dayona Beach, Florida, high school and charged with felony battery for approaching a classmate and punching the student in the groin area.

The victim was treated at a hospital for a potential ruptured testicle.

Dye said it was a game and he'd be exonerated.

He was instead indefinitely suspended by ARCA, which is owned by NASCAR. Dye was reinstated when the charge was reduced from a felony to a misdemeanor.

Dye in his third full season of racing in the Truck Series. He moved to Kaulig Racing this year to drive for Ram in the automaker's return to NASCAR competition. Through three races, his best finish is 13th at Atlanta.

Dye raced at St. Petersburg, Florida, in the Truck Series when NASCAR partnered its third-tier series with IndyCar's season opener. Malukas made his Team Penske debut that same weekend.

AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing

FILE - Driver Daniel Dye (43) is seen during qualifying for the NASCAR Weather Guard Truck Series, March 16, 2024, in Bristol, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne, File)