Miller’s Overtime Heroics Hand Canucks First Season Victory against Panthers

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Miller’s Masterstroke Gives Canucks the Edge

J.T. Miller delivered a decisive blow 2:09 into overtime, marking the Vancouver Canucks’ inaugural victory of the season as they edged out the Florida Panthers in a nail-biting 3-2 win last Thursday. Vancouver (1-1-2) also saw goal contributions from Teddy Blueger and Quinn Hughes, while netminder Kevin Lankinen did his part by rejecting 26 attempts from the Panthers.

Florida Panthers’ Efforts Fall Short

The Panthers (3-2-1) had Anton Lundell, who netted his fourth goal in three games, and Jesper Boqvist on the scorecard. Between the pipes, Sergei Bobrovsky put up a valiant effort, turning away 30 shots. However, his stellar performance couldn’t compensate for the void left by forward players Aleksander Barkov and Matthew Tkachuk, who were absent due to injury and illness, respectively.

Takeaways from the Game

Canucks: Early Goals but Late Victories

Vancouver has shown a knack for taking the initial lead, scoring first in three out of four of its games this season. However, it was Miller’s overtime goal that ultimately secured the Canucks’ win, improving their rather shaky 2-8-0 record from the last ten encounters in Florida.

Panthers: Young Talent Emerges

Mackie Samoskevich, Florida’s 24th pick in the 2021 draft from Michigan, notched an assist on the Panthers’ first goal, marking his first point in his fledgling 13-game NHL career.

Game-Changing Moment

Controversy arose when Hughes’ goal at 6:30 of the second period, which handed Vancouver a 2-1 lead, was disputed by the Panthers. Linesman Michel Cormier’s faceoff drop was intercepted by Vancouver’s Nils Aman before it hit the ice. The Panthers argued for a hand pass, but the NHL upheld the goal, granting Aman the assist on Hughes’ goal.

Key Player: Anton Lundell

In Barkov’s absence, rookie Lundell has taken the spotlight, scoring four goals in three games for the first time in his career. This three-game goal streak equals his career best.

What’s Next?

Both teams will return to the rink on Saturday, with the Canucks set to face off against Philadelphia, while the Panthers will remain on home ice to challenge the Vegas Golden Knights, setting the stage for a clash of the most recent Stanley Cup champions.