Miller Scores 20 Seconds Into OT, Canucks Beat Ducks 3–2

Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko (35) makes a save against Anaheim Ducks' Mason McTavish (37) as Canucks' J.T. Miller (9) defends during the third period of an NHL hockey game in Vancouver, British Columbia, on March 8, 2023. (Ben Nelms/The Canadian Press via AP)

VANCOUVER, British Columbia—J.T. Miller scored his second goal of the game 20 seconds into overtime to give the Vancouver Canucks a 3–2 win over the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday night, March 8.

Miller beat Lukas Dostal with a high wrist shot.

“Their guy just kind of gave me a lane and at that point they were flat-footed,” Miller said. “But you don’t get many chances just to attack in overtime with a free lane to shoot.”

Miller also scored short-handed in the first period, Andrei Kuzmenko added a goal and Elias Pettersson had two assists to help Vancouver win its third straight.

“I thought we had a lot of possession time, I like most of the game,” Canucks coach Rick Tocchet said. “I think the guys worked hard.”

Thatcher Demko stopped 20 shots to improve to 3–1 since returning from an injury on Feb. 27.

Anaheim Ducks' Derek Grant (38) knocks the glove off of Vancouver Canucks' Conor Garland (8) during the third period of an NHL hockey game in Vancouver, British Columbia, on March 8, 2023. (Ben Nelms/The Canadian Press via AP)

Troy Terry and Brock McGinn scored for Anaheim. Dostal made 31 saves.

The Ducks were coming off a 5–2 loss to Seattle on Tuesday night.

“I thought we played a hell of a game here,” Ducks coach Dallas Eakins said. “This league, it’s always hard to win that second game on a back-to-back. But I thought we played a really good four-line game. Our goaltending was good and we put ourselves in a spot to at least get a point.”

The Canucks came out aggressively in the final period, getting the first six shots on goal but failing to convert.

Despite outshooting the Ducks 12–7 in the third, the Canucks ended up in extra time for the second straight game.

But 20 seconds into overtime, Miller went top shelf with a wrist shot to help Vancouver improve to 3–1 on its six-game homestand.

“I think we played the right way for the majority of the game,” Miller said. “I think if we can hang our hat on doing that on most nights, we’re going to come out with success no matter who we’re playing.”

Up Next

Ducks: At Calgary on Friday night in the finale of a three-game trip.

Canucks: Host Ottawa on Saturday night in the fifth game of a six-game homestand.