Pettersson, Garland, Suter lead Canucks to 6-2 win over Blackhawks

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Elias Pettersson had a goal and an assist as the Vancouver Canucks beat the Chicago Blackhawks 6-2 on Saturday night.

Conor Garland and Pius Suter also each had a goal and an assist, and Quin Hughes, Nils Aman and Tyler Myers also scored for the Canucks. Kiefer Sherwood, Teddy Blueger and Nils Hoglander each had two assists.

Vancouver goalie Arturs Silovs stopped 17 shots to get his first win since Nov. 16 when the Canucks beat Chicago 4-1.

Alex Vlasic and Wyatt Kaiser scored, and Ryan Donato had two assists for the Blackhawks. Arvid Soderblom had two assists as Chicago extended its losing streak to 0-3-1.

Blackhawks: Artyom Levshunov got his first NHL point in his third game, assisting on Kaiser’s goal early in the first period. The 19-year-old Russian defenseman was the second overall pick in last year’s draft.

Canucks: Vancouver moved past Calgary into the second wild card spot in the Western Conference.

Vancouver broke open the game with two goals in 35 seconds late in the first period. Hughes got a pass from Filip Hronek and took a few strides before firing a shot past Soderblom to make it 1-0 for the Canucks wotj 2:14 to go.. The crowd hadn’t finished celebrating the goal when Myers picked up a drop pass from Sherwood, skated to the top of the faceoff circle and fired a shot in to make it 2-0 with 1:39 remaining.

The Canucks scored six goals for the second time this season, and first since a 6-3 win at Chicago on Oct. 22.

Blackhawks host Seattle on Tuesday, and Canucks host Utah on Sunday.

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

Chicago Blackhawks' Landon Slaggert's (84) stick flies after being checked by Vancouver Canucks' Victor Mancini (90) as goaltender Arturs Silovs (31) watches during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Vancouver, British Columbia, Saturday, March 15, 2025. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP)

Vancouver Canucks goaltender Arturs Silovs (31) watches the puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Chicago Blackhawks in Vancouver, British Columbia, on Saturday, March 15, 2025. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP)

Vancouver Canucks' Quinn Hughes (43) celebrates his goal with teammates during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Chicago Blackhawks in Vancouver, British Columbia, Saturday, March 15, 2025. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP)

Vancouver Canucks' Quinn Hughes (43) scores on Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Arvid Soderblom (40) as Tyler Bertuzzi (59) defends and Vancouver's Jake DeBrusk (74) watches during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Vancouver, British Columbia, Saturday, March 15, 2025. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP)

Chicago Blackhawks' Connor Bedard (98) shoots against the Vancouver Canucks during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Vancouver, British Columbia, Saturday, March 15, 2025. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP)

Vancouver Canucks' Kiefer Sherwood (44) and Chicago Blackhawks' Teuvo Teravainen (86) vie for the puck during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Vancouver, British Columbia, Saturday, March 15, 2025. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP)

Vancouver Canucks' Tyler Myers (57) celebrates with teammates after his goal against the Chicago Blackhawks during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Vancouver, British Columbia, Saturday, March 15, 2025. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP)

Chicago Blackhawks' Alex Vlasic (72) and Ilya Mikheyev (95) celebrate after Vlasic's goal against the Vancouver Canucks during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Vancouver, British Columbia, Saturday, March 15, 2025. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP)

Vancouver Canucks' Conor Garland (8) celebrates after his goal against the Chicago Blackhawks with Quinn Hughes (43) during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Vancouver, British Columbia, Saturday, March 15, 2025. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP)

Chicago Blackhawks Alex Vlasic (not seen) scores against Vancouver Canucks goaltender Arturs Silovs (31) as Blackhawls' Ilya Mikheyev (95) and Canucks' Tyler Myers (57) react during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Vancouver, British Columbia, Saturday, March 15, 2025. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP)

Vancouver Canucks' Teddy Blueger (53) and Nils Aman (88) celebrate Aman's goal against the Chicago Blackhawks during the third period of an NHL hockey game in Vancouver, British Columbia, Saturday, March 15, 2025. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP)

Vancouver Canucks' Jake DeBrusk (74), Elias Pettersson (40) and Filip Hronek (17) celebrate Pettersson's goal against the Chicago Blackhawks during the third period of an NHL hockey game in Vancouver, British Columbia, Saturday, March 15, 2025. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP)

BUDONG-BUDONG, Indonesia (AP) — Nearly seven months after a crocodile attack almost took her life, Munirpa walked to the estuary outside her home with her husband and her children, ready to brave a reenactment.

Munirpa, who like many Indonesians only uses one name, recounted how one early morning in August, she threw her household garbage into a creek about 50 meters (164 feet) away from her house, as she normally would.

She didn't see what was coming next.

By the time she realized a crocodile had attacked her, the four-meter-long (13-foot) beast had already sunk its teeth into most of her body, sparing only her head. She fought hard, trying to jab its eyes. Her husband, hearing her screams, ran over and tried to pull her by the thigh out of the crocodile's jaws. A tug-of-war ensued; the reptile whipped him with its tail. Fortunately, he saved Munirpa in time, eventually dragging her out of the crocodile's grip.

People have long feared the ancient predators in the Central Mamuju district of Indonesia’s West Sulawesi, where the Budong-Budong River meets the sea. For Munirpa, 48, that fear turned into a brutal reality when she became one of nearly 180 recorded crocodile attack victims in Indonesia last year. Residents like her are learning to coexist with the crocodiles, a legally protected species in Indonesia, as they balance conservation with looking out for their safety. But as attacks rise, several residents and experts have called for better government interventions to stop the problem from getting even worse.

Following the attack, Munirpa was hospitalized for a month and has had two surgeries. By February this year, her fear was still clearly visible, as were the scars on her legs and thighs.

“I am so scared. I don’t want to go to the beach. Even to the back of the house, I don’t dare to go," said Munirpa. “I am traumatized. I asked my children not to go to the river, or to the backyard, or go fishing."

In the villages surrounding the Budong-Budong River, like Munirpa's, crocodiles have become a daily topic of conversation. Their presence has become so common that warning signs now mark the areas where they lurk, from the river mouth to the waterways which were once a popular swimming spot for children.

In 2024, there were 179 crocodile attacks in Indonesia, the highest number of crocodile attacks in the world, with 92 fatalities, according to CrocAttack, an independent database. Social media videos showing crocodile appearances and attacks in Sulawesi and other regions in Indonesia are also on the rise.

The increase in attacks began about 12 years ago with the rise of palm oil plantations around the river mouth, said 39-year-old crocodile handler Rusli Paraili. Some companies carved artificial waterways, linking them to the larger part of the Budong-Budong River. That was when the crocodiles started straying, leaving the river and creeping to nearby residential areas, such as fish and shrimp ponds, he explained.

Palm oil plantations now dominate the landscape in West Sulawesi, from the mountains to the coast, and patrolling for crocodiles has become part of people's daily routine. When residents check the water pumps in their ponds, they have no choice but to keep out an eye for the beasts — flashlights in hand, scouring up, down and across canals and waterways — resigned to the uneasy reality of sharing their home with a predator.

The saltwater crocodile has been a legally protected species in Indonesia since 1999, making it an animal that cannot be hunted freely. As a top predator, there is also no population control in nature.

Paraili, the crocodile handler, said that while the law protects crocodiles from being killed, the rise in attacks is a major concern. In response, he's taken care of some of the crocs in a specially-designed farm away from human populations. He's received some financial support from the government and community donations, as well as support from palm oil companies for the last five years.

The farm has four ponds and around 50 reptiles. Some have names: Tanker, the largest, shaped like a ship, or Karossa, named after the sub-district the animal was caught after fatally attacking someone.

When funds run low, he uses his own money to ensure they’re fed, at least once every four days.

Amir Hamidy, who studies reptiles at the National Research and Innovation Agency, worries the rise in attacks indicates that crocodile numbers are becoming far too dangerous. Hamidy supports better population control.

Being a protected species “does not necessarily mean that the population cannot be reduced when it is at a level that is indeed unsafe," he said.

Around a year ago in Tumbu village, Suardi, who goes by one name, was harvesting coconuts when they fell into the river. When he went to retrieve them, he was attacked by a crocodile he initially didn't notice. He's since made a full recovery.

Still, the experience has made him more cautious. “Yes, I am worried. But what else can we do," Suardi said. “The important thing is that we are careful enough.”

Along with Munirpa, Suardi is one of 10 people in the region who was attacked by a crocodile last year. Three of those attacked were killed.

Suyuti Marzuki, who's head of West Sulawesi Marine and Fisheries Agency, said the crocodile habitat shift is making people's everyday activities — like harvesting coconuts, fishing or even disposing of garbage like Munirpa — very risky.

Marzuki said the government is looking at possible options that can provide both safety and economic alternatives for residents.

While he acknowledged that crocodile population numbers and ecosystems need to be protected, Marzuki also raised the possibility of bolstering the local economy through the crocodile skin trade. That industry is controversial because of conservation and animal welfare issues.

Paraili, the crocodile handler, also urged serious government interventions.

"This is a matter of human lives. So when the government is not serious, then our brothers and sisters in the future — in 5 or 15 years — there will be even more who will die from being attacked by crocodiles,” he said.

Residents like Munirpa and Suardi are waiting for more immediate and realistic steps from the authorities to ensure their community's and families' safety.

“It is enough that I've been bitten by a crocodile," Munirpa said. “I won’t let it happen to my children.”

The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org

A fisher walks in the water after setting up a fishing net near a beach in Budong-Budong, West Sulawesi Island, Indonesia, Monday, Feb. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

A man walks in the water as he pulls his boat to the riverbank in Budong-Budong, Sulawesi Island, Indonesia, Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

A crocodile nicknamed Karossa, after the name of a village it was captured from following the fatal attack of a man, rests with others inside an enclosure in Budong-Budong, West Sulawesi Island, Indonesia, Monday, Feb. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

Suardi, a crocodile attack survivor, shows a scar on his chest in Budong-Budong, West Sulawesi, Indonesia, Monday, Feb. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

Suardi, a crocodile attack survivor, shows the scars on his face in Budong-Budong, West Sulawesi, Indonesia, Monday, Feb. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

Rusli Paraili, a crocodile handler, sits on the bow of a boat while looking for crocodiles on a river in Budong-Budong, Sulawesi Island, Indonesia, Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

Sudirman, left, and Irfan stand among the coconut trees as they inspect their fish and shrimp ponds in Budong-Budong, West Sulawesi Island, Indonesia, Monday, Feb. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

Sudirman, front, and Irfan walk on a makeshift bridge as they inspect their fish and shrimp ponds in Budong-Budong, West Sulawesi Island, Indonesia, Monday, Feb. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

A man sits on his motorbike as a newly opened palm oil plantation with its canals are visible in the background in Budong-Budong, West Sulawesi, Indonesia, Monday, Feb. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

People play cards in Budong-Budong, West Sulawesi, Indonesia, Monday, Feb. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

A canal dug for a newly opened palm oil plantation is visible in Budong-Budong, West Sulawesi, Indonesia, Monday, Feb. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

A cow jumps over the water near a stream where a crocodile attack occurred several months prior, in Topoyo, West Sulawesi, Indonesia, Monday, Feb. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

Crocodiles, mostly rescued after encounters with people, swim inside an enclosure in Budong-Budong, West Sulawesi, Indonesia, Monday, Feb. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

Crocodile hatchlings are seen in Budong-Budong, West Sulawesi, Indonesia, Monday, Feb. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

Rusli Paraili, left, a crocodile handler, feeds a rescued crocodile inside an enclosure in Budong-Budong, West Sulawesi, Indonesia, Monday, Feb. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

Rusli Paraili, a crocodile handler, feeds rescued crocodiles kept inside an enclosure in Budong-Budong, West Sulawesi, Indonesia, Monday, Feb. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

A crocodile warning sign is displayed by the river in Budong-Budong, West Sulawesi Island, Indonesia, Monday, Feb. 24, 2025. The sign reads "Beware of crocodile! Please be on alert while doing activities in the river. Crocodile might be stalking". (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

Munirpa, a crocodile attack survivor, stands for a portrait at the location where she was nearly killed by a four-meter-long crocodile, in Topoyo, West Sulawesi, Indonesia, Monday, Feb. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

Rusli Paraili, a crocodile handler, feeds a rescued crocodile kept inside an enclosure in Budong-Budong, West Sulawesi, Indonesia, Monday, Feb. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)