Playing his first game in nearly a month after returning from personal leave, Miller was pretty fine.
When you’re out of the lineup, usually you just don’t want to look out of place upon your return.
Don’t screw up. Make some smart plays. Mix it up a little.
It was a very solid effort.
It was a comprehensive performance by the Canucks, who beat the Panthers 4-0.
Lankinen does it all
But when you’ve a second goalie playing as well as Kevin Lankinen has been, you can understand why the Canucks were comfortable handing him the start.
And he showed again why he’s been so essential to the Canucks this season.
There haven’t been many breakdowns, but generally he’s been on top of things when they do break down.
He got a deserved shutout.
Disrupting those breakouts
The Panthers’ game is built off pressure, never letting you get going.
Ironically, it was the Canucks who did that to the visitors.
They never let Florida get moving, constantly forcing them into tough decisions in their own end.
The Canucks swarmed the Panthers from the start and deserved to lead 2-0 after the first.
Maximum Sasson
Danton Heinen, it would seem, is doing enough to stay in the lineup — he scored against the Panthers, but more importantly he’s proving to be an adept penalty killer — but guys like Max Sasson have something to prove every night.
And so far, Sasson is showing very, very well.
He’s a dynamic skater, he makes smart decisions with the puck and he got two assists on the night because of all this.
He may just have it.
Busting chops
Miller plays with an edge most of the time, but in his first game back you weren’t sure how much he would get into it.
He was right into it.
How much was he into it?
Most people probably didn’t see it, but he gave Matthew Tkachuk a whack in the ankles as he skated back to the Canucks’ bench midway through the third period.
The Panthers’ power forward fell to the ice. It was an impactful f-you by Miller, from a position of strength.
Feisty Friedman
Mark Friedman certainly is making a case to stay in the lineup. He threw a huge hit and generally moved the puck well.
He aggravated more than one Panther.
Stuff like that will keep him in the lineup.
NEXT GAME
Saturday
7 p.m., Rogers Arena , TV: ESPN Pacific, Radio: Sportsnet 650