Ryan Miller has dominated the Arizona Coyotes throughout his entire career. He is 9-1 vs. the Coyotes and on Wednesday night helped the Canucks secure a 2-1 victory in Arizona.
Jake Virtanen, and Jannik Hansen got the two goals for the Canucks who won back-to-back games on the road.
Miller got a little help from Vancouver defenseman Alex Biega, who stopped Kyle Chipchura’s backhand bid at the goal line with 3:43 left to keep the Canucks (22-20-12) ahead.
After the win, the Canucks are now just two points behind the Nashville Predadors, and the Colorado Avalanche for the last, and final playoff spot.
After the loss Arizona slipped to 11th in the conference.
In the beginning the Canucks looked a little rattled playing without forwards Brandon Sutter (fractured tibia) and Derek Dorsett (ill) and defenseman Alexander Edler (fractured jaw), getting outshot 13-6 in the first period.
After weathering the storm the Canucks would get on the board when Jake Virtanen pushed the puck up to Jared McCann, who raced into the Arizona zone before stopping suddenly and sending a return pass to Virtanen at the left circle. Virtanen’s one-timer hit the near post and deflected past Domingue at 7:16. It was Virtanen’s first goal since Jan. 11.
At the 14:53 mark, it appeared that the Coyotes had tied the goal but coach Willie Desjardin used his coaches challenge which ruled that Klas Dahlbeck was offside negating the goal.
The Coyotes were now on the power play in the second period with Alex Biega in the penalty box and they made him pay for it.
Anthony Duclair and Max Domi set up Martin Hanzal with two quick diagonal passes and Hanzal was able to push the puck off the near post and in at 2:38 for his 7th goal.
With less than five minutes left in the second period the Canucks got some luck scoring the go-ahead goal.
Jannik Hansen’s shot from the left circle deflected first off Arizona defenseman Connor Murphy, changed direction and hit defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson before trickling by Domingue at 15:13.
On the game Louis Domingue made 24 saves.
Up next: The Canucks head back home for an early match against the Toronto Maple Leafs at 4:00pm.
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