J.T. Miller scored in the shootout, lifting the Vancouver Canucks to a 4-3 victory over the Seattle Kraken on Thursday night.
Conor Garland, Tyler Myers, and Max Sasson scored in regulation for Vancouver. Thatcher Demko started the game and stopped 11 of 12 shots before exiting in the second period due to back spasms. Kevin Lankinen stepped in and made 13 saves to secure the win.
For Seattle, Vince Dunn and Matty Beniers each had a goal and an assist, while Chandler Stephenson also found the net. Andre Burakovsky added two assists, and Philipp Grubauer made 19 saves.
In the shootout, Miller slipped the puck past Grubauer in the opening round. Lankinen then stopped all three Kraken attempts—Oliver Bjorkstrand, Kaapo Kakko, and Beniers—to lock in the victory.
The win avenged Vancouver’s heartbreaking 5-4 overtime loss to Seattle on Saturday, where the Kraken rallied with three goals in the final five minutes of regulation before clinching the win in overtime on Dunn’s goal.
Dunn tied Thursday’s game with just 53 seconds left in regulation, forcing overtime.
Takeaways
Canucks: Vancouver appears to have rediscovered its offensive groove, scoring three or more goals in four of its last five games.
Kraken: Beniers is heating up with goals in three consecutive games, ending a 19-game drought earlier this week.
Key Moment
Miller’s shootout goal set the tone, while Lankinen’s flawless performance in the tiebreaker secured a crucial victory for Vancouver against its divisional rival.
Key Stat
The Canucks snapped a five-game losing streak in games decided beyond regulation. Their last win in overtime or a shootout was on Dec. 1 against Detroit.
Up Next
The Canucks return home to host Nashville on Friday, while the Kraken will face Edmonton in Seattle on Saturday.
