Miller's big night leads Canucks past Canadiens

VANCOUVER — J.T. Miller scored the go-ahead goal on a great individual play early in the third period and collected three assists to lead the Vancouver Canucks to a 5-3 win over the Montreal Canadiens Wednesday night.

Miller extended his points streak to 10 games, collecting 21 points on seven goals and 14 assists.

Elias Pettersson and Brock Boese, both on the power play, and Travis Hamonic also scored for the Canucks (29-23-6). Bo Horvat added an empty-net goal. Vancouver has won three straight games and is 8-2-0 in its last 10.

Artturi Lehkonen scored twice and had an assist while Rem Pitlick had a goal and two assists for the Canadiens (15-35-7) who suffered just their second loss in the last nine games. Lehkonen has six goals and two assists in his last five games.

Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko stopped 22 shots.

Montreal goalie Sam Montembeault made 28 saves.

Miller gave the Canucks a 3-2 lead when he stole the puck off Montreal’s Cole Caufield at the blue line, skated in alone, then wired a wrist shot that beat Montembeault over the glove hand.

He also assisted on Pettersson’s power-play goal just a few minutes later, making a pretty drop pass that helped the slick Swede score his 18th of the season.

Pitlick drew the Habs close scoring at 15:35 with Montembeault on the bench for an extra attacker.

Lehkonen tied the game 2-2 at 14:22 of the second period with his second goal of the night. Pitlick sent a pass from the corner that Lehkonen took in front of the net then jammed the puck through Demko’s legs.

Vancouver scored just nine seconds into a power play to take a 2-1 lead. Boeser fired a sharp angle shot that Montembeault blocked. Boeser collected the rebound and put it over the goaltender’s shoulder at 10:34