Miller’s goal propels Canucks past Kings in OT

LOS ANGELES -- J.T. Miller scored 1:36 into overtime to give the Vancouver Canucks a 2-1 win against the Los Angeles Kings at Crypto.com Arena on Tuesday.

Miller scored on a slap shot from the left circle during a delayed penalty with goalie Thatcher Demko off the ice for an extra attacker.

Elias Pettersson scored his 30th goal of the season, and Quinn Hughes had two assists for the Canucks (40-17-7), who have won two in a row and three of their past five games (3-1-1) to become the first team in the Western Conference with 40 wins this season. Demko made 23 saves.

“I think that's what we need to do, have a good structure, good defense and we will get our looks from that,” Pettersson said. “I think that was slipping a little bit lately, but we talked about getting it back on track.”

Trevor Moore scored, and Cam Talbot made 29 saves for the Kings (31-19-11), who had won two in a row and seven of their past 10.

“Both teams had their chances,” Moore said. “It felt like a really tight-checking game out there. We won the first period, they won the second, draw in the third. And they won overtime, so it happens.”

Moore gave Los Angeles a 1-0 lead at 10:54 of the first period. Phillip Danault collected Filip Hronek’s turnover and set up Moore’s one-timer from above the crease.

Pettersson tied it 1-1 at 16:36 of the second period, skating down the right circle to the slot and scoring on a wrist shot. It was his first goal since Feb. 19.

“It's been a few games since I got a goal, so I was happy to get it in,” said Pettersson, who has 30 goals for the third straight season.

Hughes had the secondary assist, his 60th of the season in 64 games. This is his third straight season with at least 60 assists; he had a career-high 69 in 78 games last season.

Hughes joined Bobby Orr, Paul Coffey and Ray Bourque as the fourth defenseman in NHL history to have at least three straight seasons with 60 assists.

The Kings had three quick, high-quality chances to retake the lead early in the third period but were unable to convert, beginning with Demko’s glove save on Alex Turcotte’s shot on a 2-on-1 at 2:02 of the third period to keep it tied.

“Unreal save,” Vancouver coach Rick Tocchet said. “That's a highlight one that will probably be on tonight and the rest of the month. It came at a crucial time.”

Trevor Lewis shot wide of an open net 51 seconds later at 2:53, and Drew Doughty hit the post seven seconds after.

“Those were probably our three best chances of the night,” Los Angeles interim coach Jim Hiller said. “That sequence of chances, I thought the way we’re playing defensively, if you get one of those, could be a different result.”

NOTES: Miller scored his ninth overtime goal with the Canucks, tied with Brendan Morrison for second most in franchise history behind Daniel Sedin (16). … Pettersson is one point away (166 goals, 233 assists) from 400 in the NHL. … Moore has five points (two goals, three assists) during a three-game streak. … Vancouver defenseman Carson Soucy had 18:04 of ice time in his first game since Jan. 20 after fracturing his knuckle in a 6-4 win against the Toronto Maple Leafs.