Miller’s brilliant 44-save performance the difference as Canucks down Flames 4-2

“We didn’t play the way we wanted to play,” said Canucks head coach Willie Desjardins. “We can certainly play better than that, but it was good we found a way to win.”

Markus Granlund, with two goals and an assist against his former club, and Michael Chaput also scored for Vancouver (20-18-3), which is on its longest winning streak since December 2013.

The victory pushed the Canucks into the Western Conference’s second wild-card spot, a point up on the idle Los Angeles Kings, and marked the first time Vancouver has been in the top-8 since early November. The Flames, meanwhile, sit one point up on the Canucks in the first wild-card position.

Michael Frolik had both goals for Calgary (21-18-2), while Mikael Backlund picked up two assists. Brian Elliott stopped nine shots for the Flames, who host the Canucks in the rematch on Saturday.

“Sometimes a goalie can steal the game,” said Flames head coach Glen Gulutzan, who was an assistant with Vancouver the last three seasons. “We made some mistakes that gave them some pretty good chances at critical times.”

Calgary’s 46 shots, including 23 in the third period, were a season-high.

“We played a good game,” said Calgary captain Mark Giordano, whose team had 88 total shot attempts to Vancouver’s 22. “We can definitely pinpoint some mistakes.”

After a frantic first period that saw the Canucks lead 2-1, things settled down in the second until Granlund struck on the man advantage. The winger worked hard to keep the play alive while sprawled on the ice before eventually getting the puck back and ripping his eighth of the season past Elliott’s glove.

The Flames had a great chance moments earlier on a short-handed rush, but Miller stopped Deryk Engelland’s effort before Giordano’s follow up was waved off for goalie interference.

Vancouver played the game’s final 47 minutes with just five defenceman after Christopher Tanev took a shot in the back/neck area in the first period and didn’t return.

The Flames, who came in having won four of their last five, held a 23-10 shot edge through two periods, but Granlund — who was acquired from Calgary in a February 2016 trade — scored his second of the game on a slick deflection at 3:18 of the third.

Frolik got a consolation goal, his second of the night, on a power play with 1:43 left in regulation, but the Canucks held the fort from there as Miller won his fifth consecutive start.

“I don’t think their team feels like they are ever out of it,” said Miller, who has allowed just seven combined goals during his personal winning streak. “They have some good playmakers … if they get close anything is possible so the focus was just survive minute by minute.”

Calgary opened the scoring just 1:18 into Friday after a Vancouver turnover and some poor defensive zone coverage led to a tap-in for Frolik.

The Flames nearly went up 2-0 a few minutes later, but Johnny Gaudreau flubbed a shot from a tight angle with Miller out of position.

Calgary put the puck in the net for a second time on a 2-on-3 short-handed rush at 8:48 when Matt Stajan walked around Canucks forward Sven Baertschi. But it was ruled Stajan interfered with Miller before Lance Bouma buried the rebound, a call that stood after Calgary challenged the play.

Vancouver finally got something positive going at 10:49 when its fourth line connected on a pretty passing play. Chaput worked a give-and-go with Jack Skille before beating Elliott, who had won his last five starts, under the blocker for his first goal with the Canucks.

“Our line has been playing well lately,” said Chaput. “Finally we get rewarded.”

Calgary’s Alex Chiasson ripped a shot off the crossbar that stayed out with under seven minutes to go in the period before Tanev took a puck up high from Dougie Hamilton.

Tanev, who missed 20 games with a lower-body injury before returning to the lineup Dec. 16, threw his gloves off as he went down the tunnel to the locker-room. Desjardins said Tanev would be re-evaluated in Vancouver on Saturday morning and could join the Canucks in Calgary.

Eriksson gave his team its first lead at 2-1 with 6:53 left in the first when his attempted saucer pass went off sliding Calgary defenceman Tyler Wotherspoon and looped over a helpless Elliott for his ninth.

Eriksson then took a pass and moved in alone late in the period, but his backhand nicked the post and stayed out to close a wild 20 minutes that would only get more lopsided on the shot clock.

“They have some skilled players,” said Eriksson. “We need to do a better job (Saturday). We have some things to work on, but it was nice to get the win.”

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Joshua Clipperton, The Canadian Press

by Canadian Press

Miller’s brilliant 44-save performance the difference as Canucks down Flames 4-2

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