EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — J.T. Miller had a goal and an assist and the Vancouver Canucks beat the Minnesota Wild 4-3 on Tuesday night to even their qualifying series at a win each.
Tanner Pearson scored 24 seconds into the game, Brock Boeser and Bo Horvat also scored for the Canucks, and Jacob Markstrom made 32 saves. Minnesota won the series opener 3-0.
“Pearse scoring the first shift felt really good for the team,” Miller said. “Getting shutout in Game 1, we felt like crap a little bit after that because we felt like we didn’t play a bad game, but had a little bit more to give.”
Kevin Fiala had two goals and Luke Kunin scored for Minnesota. Alex Stalock made 24 stops.
“I thought they played a much better game tonight than Game 1, a little more jump in their step and it felt like we didn’t have the puck as much,” Wild forward Zach Parise said.
Game 3 is Thursday, when lower-seeded Minnesota will be the home team for the first time in the series.
“We talked about 15 to 20 more percent in this game and I think that up and down the lineup everybody contributed today,” Miller said.
Matt Dumba continued to raise his right fist on the Wild’s bench through the pregame anthems to bring attention to racism and social injustice. Teammate Jonas Brodin put his hand on Dumba’s shoulder in support Tuesday.
Minnesota was scoreless on six power-play chances, while Vancouver went 1 for 7.
“We were a step behind tonight,” Wild coach Dean Evason said. “We didn’t have that at the same emotional charge that we seemed to have. They did from the get-go.”
Canucks forward Antoine Roussel took a deflection in the head that drew blood five minutes into the third period.
Kunin was fined $1,000 for unsportsmanlike conduct in Game 1. He delivered a whack to the leg of Vancouver’s Micheal Ferland from the Wild’s bench. Kunin was retaliating for Ferland spearing seated teammate Ryan Hartman seated on the bench. Ferland was fined $5,000.
Photo credit – Codie McLachlan / The Canadian Press via AP / Edmonton, AB