In Vancouver, the Vegas Golden Knights hung on for a 4-3 win over the pesky Canucks on Tuesday night.
Jonathan Quick made 31 saves in the Vegas win.
It was his 375th career NHL win.
“You think about some of the guys that are at the top of that list and being in a category with them, it’s just an honor,” Quick said. “And obviously you think about all the guys that kind of helped me get a bunch of those wins and the work they put in, and you are just very appreciative of everything.”
Vegas improved to 44-21-6,
“Would I call it our best game? No, maybe not,” Vegas defenseman Alex Pietrangelo said. “Was it perfect? No. It usually isn’t on the road, but we found a way to win it, and that’s been kind of the recipe for us. We’d love to play the perfect game, but we’re just finding ways to win and having contributions up and down the lineup.”
The Canucks dropped to 31-34-5.
“You’re playing against one of the better teams and you’ve got to be prepared to play,” Canucks coach Rick Tocchet said. “I don’t think we were ready for it. We had three or four guys that weren’t playing to our identity, and I think (we) struggled.”
J.T. Miller hit for a double in the Canucks loss, once off a penalty shot.
Phil Kessel scored on a breakaway in the first period, yes a breakaway, and Reilly Smith  extended the advantage to 2-0 in the first.
Miller trimmed the deficit to 2-1 in the second, and Teddy Blueger restored the two-goal lead for Vegas at 3-1.
Miller then scored off the power play for a 3-2 score to Vegas.
“The Miller line (with Boeser and Phillip Di Giuseppe), they were monsters all night,” Tocchet said. “They dragged us into the fight.”
Vegas came back with a strike by Pavel Dorofeyev for a 4-2 advantage coming out of the middle frame.
“When different guys are contributing, everyone is feeling good about themselves, and that obviously leads to them playing better,” Blueger said. “That’s important for us for sure. It’s good not to have to rely on a couple guys or one line.”
Di Guiseppe scored late in the third, but the Canucks were unable to get the equalizer.
“Obviously, the way it finished up in L.A. wasn’t ideal,” Quick said. “It’s a fresh start here hockey-wise. Playing some important games here down the stretch and trying to help them win the division and secure a playoff spot, it’s fun.”
Thatcher Demko made 23 saves in the Vancouver loss.
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