J.T. Miller scores in shootout as Canucks beat Kraken 4-3

SEATTLE (AP) — J.T. Miller scored in the shootout and the Vancouver Canucks beat the Seattle Kraken 4-3 on Thursday night.

Conor Garland, Tyler Myers and Max Sasson scored in regulation for the Canucks. Thatcher Demko started and stopped 11 of 12 shots before leaving with back spasms in the second period. Kevin Lankinen came on and finished with 13 saves.

Vince Dunn and Matty Beniers each had a goal and an assist, Chandler Stephenson also scored and Andre Burakovsky had two assists for Seattle. Philipp Grubauer finished with 19 saves.

In the tiebreaker, Miller snuck one past Grubauer in the first round. Lankinen denied Oliver Bjorkstrand, Kaapo Kakko and Beniers to secure the win.

The victory evened the Canucks’ crushing 5-4 overtime loss to the Kraken on Saturday. In that one, Seattle tied it with three goals in the final five minutes of regulation, before winning on Dunn’s goal in OT.

Dunn tied this game with 53 seconds left in regulation.

Takeaways

Canucks: Vancouver seems to have recovered from a midseason offensive slump, as the Canucks have now scored three goals or more in four of their past five games.

Kraken: Beniers has goals in each of Seattle’s past three games after snapping a 19-game goal-less streak.

Key moment

Miller shootout goal put the Kraken on their heels, and powered the Canucks to a much-needed victory over their arch-rival.

Key stat

Vancouver had lost it’s last five games beyond regulation. The Canucks’ last win in OT or a shootout came against Detroit on Dec. 1.

Up Next

Canucks host Nashville on Friday, and the Kraken will host Edmonton on Saturday.

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