(SportsNetwork.com) – The Vancouver Canucks look to push their winning streak
to three games in a row on Saturday night as they visit the Los Angeles Kings
and Staples Center.
The Canucks are coming off road victories against Colorado and San Jose,
topping the Sharks 3-2 on Thursday. Ryan Miller starred with 34 saves to keep
Vancouver in the game despite the club getting outshot 15-8 in the first
period and 36-19 for the game.
There was one shot that got by Miller that didn’t count. San Jose’s Joe
Thornton banked a shot off the netminder and in to seemingly force overtime,
but the puck didn’t cross the goal line until time had already expired.
“I knew time was going to expire, I was out of position,” said Miller. “I was
hopeful the horn had gone.”
Radim Vrbata, Alexander Edler and Nick Bonino all scored the Canucks, who have
won six of their last seven games overall. Alexandre Burrows added an assist
in his return to the lineup after serving a three-game suspension for an
illegal hit versus Montreal on Oct. 30.
“We came in and played two of our worst periods of the year,” Bonino said.
“Miller was why we won.”
The Canucks may not be able to afford too many poor periods tonight. They lost
four of five to the Kings a season ago and have been outscored 9-2 over a
three-game skid in Los Angeles.
Miller is 5-1-1 with a 2.30 goals against average and .935 save percentage in
his career versus the Kings. It is unknown if he will start tonight as the
Canucks also will visit the Ducks on Sunday.
However, backup Eddie Lack has lost all three of his decisions this season and
is 1-1-0 with a 1.23 GAA and .950 save percentage in three games against the
Kings, with two starts.
Los Angeles looks to rebound from a 2-1 shootout loss to the New York
Islanders on Thursday that snapped the club’s six-game home winning streak. It
also dropped the Kings to 1-3-2 in its past six overall.
Dwight King deflected a Mike Richards shot into the net just 3:49 into the
game, but that was the last goal Los Angeles would score.
Anze Kopitar and Jeff Carter were stopped in the shootout and Jonathan Quick
was beaten by New York’s Kyle Okposo and Frans Nielsen after making 25 saves
through overtime.
“We had good looks, but we missed the net two or three times,” Kings head
coach Darryl Sutter said of the final 20 minutes of regulation.
Defenseman Jake Muzzin picked up an assist on King’s goal for his first point
of the season.
Forward Justin Williams did not play after getting hit by a stick near his eye
on Tuesday and is day-to-day.
Quick is just 9-11-1 in his career versus the Canucks despite a solid 1.84 GAA
and .932 save percentage in the 21 matchups.
