Miller has 2 assists in return from leave of absence for Vancouver

Panthers at Canucks | Recap

By Kevin Woodley

NHL.com Independent Correspondent

December 13, 2024

VANCOUVER -- Kevin Lankinen made 27 saves, and J.T. Miller had two assists in his return for the Vancouver Canucks in a 4-0 win against the Florida Panthers at Rogers Arena on Thursday.

It was Lankinen's third shutout this season and sixth in the NHL. Miller had missed the previous 10 games because of a personal leave of absence.

“I think it was a big statement win for us,” Lankinen said. “Getting J.T. back was a huge boost for the team, and the way he came in and the kind of effort he put was a big part of the win tonight. We're just really happy to have him back.”

Brock Boeser scored in his 500th NHL game, and defenseman Carson Soucy scored his first goal of the season for the Canucks (15-8-5), who had lost two straight but have earned a point in six of their past seven (4-1-2). Quinn Hughes, Max Sasson and Teddy Blueger each had two assists.

“It was a game where everybody contributed,” Vancouver coach Rick Tocchet said. “Good team identity. A lot of good efforts from a lot of different guys, a lot of different lines. I thought the [defensemen] were scrappy, and obviously 'Lanks' had a great game. So, it's a start in the right direction for building that team identity.”

Lankinen stops 27, earns third shutout of the season

Sergei Bobrovsky made 15 saves for the Panthers (18-10-2), who had their seven-game point streak end (6-0-1).

It was the first time this season Florida had been shut out.

“I think it was a closer game than the score kind of dictated,” Panthers forward Carter Verhaeghe said. “They got some good bounces, but they also made their breaks. To get odd-man rushes on us, it's not easy, so I think when you put pucks to the net good things happen. I think that's something we can kind of learn from.”

Vancouver scored its first three goals off the rush, getting good bounces on each.

Soucy gave the Canucks a 1-0 lead at 2:23 of the first period. He took a drop pass from Sasson as the trailer on a rush and scored with a shot from the top of the circles that deflected off the stick of Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad over the glove of Bobrovsky.

Danton Heinen made it 2-0 at 18:41. After taking a pass from Heinen on a rush, Sasson faked a shot along the right wing and sent a return pass back toward the crease, where it deflected in off the pad of Bobrovsky and Heinen's skate.

“I knew I had those plays in me,” Sasson said. “I've made actually a couple of those, but definitely seeing the pucks going in the net, it gives you a lot of confidence, and it's great to be able to help the team.”

Boeser pushed it to 3-0 off a nice pass from Miller at 4:53 of the second period. Boeser's initial shot went wide of the net, but it caromed back to him off the end boards and the back of the net, and he scored into an open net with Bobrovsky looking the other way.

“We give up three rush goals and we just don't do that, can't do that, and those are all off our sticks, so we own those,” Florida coach Paul Maurice said. “Other than that, there wasn't much going on either way. I thought they defended hard around their net, and the rest of it was watching paint dry.”

FLA@VAN: Boeser sends in his own rebound to extend the lead in the 2nd period

Boeser has 403 points (187 goals, 216 assists) in 500 games, all with the Canucks.

“It means a lot,” Boeser said. “Very grateful ... to do it in one city. It means a lot to me. I love this place. So, yeah, I had fun day.”

It was even better with Miller back as his linemate for the first time he left the team for personal reasons on Nov. 19. Miller, who addressed the media after the morning skate but asked not to discuss the reason for his absence, did not speak after the game, but his teammates made it clear how big his impact was.

“It doesn't surprise me,” Boeser said. “He's such an elite player, and he shows what he can do night in, night out.”

Jake DeBrusk made it 4-0 with a power-play goal at 12:55 of the third period. Miller won a face-off and passed to Hughes for a one-timer from the point that DeBrusk deflected in off Bobrovsky.

“He's arguably one of the best players in the League,” Tocchet said of Miller. “He's a big part of our team. That's hard to do, not play for a month, to come in there and do what he did.”

FLA@VAN: DeBrusk cleans up in the crease on the power-play

Lankinen, who was back in goal two days after Thatcher Demko made his season debut in a 4-3 overtime loss to the St. Louis Blues, made his best save at 10:33 of the third by stopping Niko Mikkola, who cut in alone from the hash marks. He also made two good saves on Aleksander Barkov in the second period, getting his right pad on a shot from the high slot at 13:16, and his left pad on partial break from the left circle at 19:25.

“I think every night is important,” said Lankinen, who is tied for the NHL lead in shutouts with Connor Hellebuyck of the Winnipeg Jets and Sam Montembeault of the Montreal Canadiens. “I try not to think about things, overthink. I just play when I'm asked to and try to put my A-game every night I get the chance.”

NOTES: Barkov had his point streak end at seven games (five goals, five assists). ... It was Hughes' 11th multipoint game this season. Only Cale Makar (12 games) of the Colorado Avalanche has more among defensemen. ... Miller went 12-for-20 on face-offs in 14:17 of ice time. ... Canucks defenseman Derek Forbort returned after missing 17 games because of a lower-body injury he sustained during practice on Nov. 4. He played 19:39.