What if the Vancouver Canucks played like this just a few weeks back?
Ryan Miller made 40 saves in a 3-2 win over the Los Angeles Kings Monday night.
“We’re happy with the wins, but we know where we stand,” Miller said. “We know it’s not good enough and we’re on the outside looking in. At least on my part, I feel like there’s a foundation to be laid. You’ve got to play the right way. We’ve played a little bit better within the system and the structure and we got rewarded for it.”
Jared McCann scored the game-winner and Emerson Etem and Jannik Hansen also scored for Vancouver.
The Kings had a chance to retake first place with a win but still trail the Anaheim Ducks by a point.
“Obviously, you want to finish first, but it’s not necessarily about wins and losses either,” Kings center Anze Kopitar said. “You want to know that your game is where it needs to be going into the playoffs, and right now we are just short of that.”
Kyle Clifford and Tyler Toffoli were LA’s goal scorers.
“We want something to build on,” McCann said. “We’re not going to mail the season in. We’re looking to play these last games really hard and carry it over into next season.”
Jonathan Quick made 21 saves in the loss.
There is no panic in the Kings but the recent slump is worrisome heading into the post season.
“We got to get the top guys firing, for sure. That’s my job and their responsibility,” Kings coach Darryl Sutter said. “Our top guys are our captains and our best players, and other than Jeff [Carter] and [Milan Lucic] and [Toffoli], they have played really well, our other tops guys have not played very well since we got a playoff spot.”
The Kings are 2-6-0 in their last eight games.
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