Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko (35) makes a save against Anaheim Ducks' Mason McTavish (37) as Canucks' J.T. Miller (9) during the third period of an NHL hockey game in Vancouver on Wednesday, March 8, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ben Nelms
VANCOUVER – J.T. Miller capped a two-goal effort with the game-winning goal 20 seconds into overtime and the Vancouver Canucks defeated the Anaheim Ducks 3-2 on Wednesday night.
Andrei Kuzmenko also scored for the Canucks (27-32-5), while Elias Pettersson added two helpers.
The victory extended Vancouver’s winning streak to three games.
Troy Terry and Brock McGinn each had a goal for the Ducks (21-35-9), who had won four of their last six entering Wednesday night.
Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko made 20 saves to improve to 3-1 since returning from injury on Feb. 27.
Lukas Dostal stopped 31-of-34 shots for Anaheim.
The Ducks struck first with a backhanded goal from Terry off a dish from Mason McTavish at 3:40 of the opening period.
Miller levelled the score with a short-handed marker at 14:44 on an assist from Pettersson. Pettersson leads the league with eight short-handed points.
Vancouver continued its strong play on the penalty kill in the first as the Ducks managed just one shot attempt on the man advantage despite defencemen Guillaume Brisebois and Kyle Burroughs being in the penalty box. Prior to Wednesday, the Canucks had killed 13 of the last 15 power plays they faced.
Kuzmenko put the Canucks in front at 14:23 of the second period when his shot deflected off McTavish and in.
Twenty seconds later, McGinn evened the score on a rebound. It was McGinn’s first as a member of the Ducks after Pittsburgh dealt him at the trade deadline.
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 for the win.
SUPPORT FOR STOTHERS
Last Saturday, the Ducks announced that assistant coach Mike Stothers had been diagnosed with Stage 3 Melanoma of the Lymph Node. The 61-year-old coach and former NHL player is away from the team for the three-game road trip and under care. Stothers has indicated that he plans on returning to the bench this season.
DELIA RETURNS
After missing the game against Nashville due to illness on Monday, goaltender Collin Delia returned Wednesday, backing up Demko. His replacement, rookie Arturs Silovs, was sent back to the AHL’s Abbotsford Canucks.
UP NEXT
The Canucks host the Ottawa Senators on Saturday in the fifth of a six-game homestand.
The Ducks wrap up their three-game road trip on Friday against the Calgary Flames.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 8, 2023.
