Canucks crown the Kings 3-0

Ryan Miller made 15 saves in his 36th career shutout, Adam Cracknell scored his second goal in two games, and the Vancouver Canucks completed a Southern California sweep with a 3-0 victory over the winless Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday night.

Miller is off to a strong start after matching his career high with six shutouts last season, his first with the Canucks.

“That was pretty impressive”, said Miller, who stopped all 15 shots he faced.

The Canucks opened up a tight game by scoring twice in the second, but could have doubled their goal total with sharper execution.

Jonathan Quick stopped 23 shots for struggling Los Angeles, which has been outscored 11-2 while losing three straight home games to open the season.

The Kings hadn’t dropped their opening three contests since the 2012-13 season, when the Chicago Blackhawks, the Colorado Avalanche and the Edmonton Oilers beat them.

The lone even-strength goal was by center Nick Shore against the San Jose Sharks.

“Tonight it was different”.

They were particularly sloppy in the neutral zone.

“Absolutely there’s a sense of urgency. We need a few production out of a few guys”. Virtanen also drew Matt Greene into a penalty just after the Canucks made the score 1-0 in the second period. At Anaheim, Miller recorded his NHL-record 53rd shootout win. “We could have lost both games as well”.

Cracknell broke up a scoreless contest at 5:13 of the second period.

Vancouver Canucks right wing Brandon Prust (9) takes a punch from… The Kings’ power play – which has yet to convert this season – went 0-3 and they were unable to generate any momentum when the Canucks took three straight minor penalties in the third period.

The Kings’ top line was flat in the season opener.

“We could’ve lost both games as well”, Desjardins said after Vancouver’s 2-0 shutout of the Kings last night at Staples Center. “It’s not like we dominated”. This forced Desjardins to move Sutter back to centre after the team’s marquee summer acquisition spent the first three games as an effective right winger beside Hank and Danny Sedin. “We’re happy with the wins, but we’re not taking anything for granted”.

Los Angeles hadn’t played since Friday, but could barely keep up to Vancouver in the decisive second period. The Ducks failed to score on a power play during their first taste of 3-on-3 overtime hockey. But while his center, Anze Kopitar, can rely on doing his usual thing, responsible two-way play, Gaborik has been close to a non-factor, especially on Tuesday. “Whether that is not coming in with possession or that is not recovering the puck the way we should, we are playing too soft to get the pucks back”.

– The Kings trailed only 1-0 in the second period when they were highly effective and killed 1:20 of a Vancouver 5-on-3 power play. “We put ourselves in that position and got rewarded”. We don’t see the fight start in the live video but when they show the replay, it seems pretty clear that Andy Andreoff is the player who’s issuing the invitation.

NOTES: D Dustin Brown played his 805th game for Los Angeles, tying Rob Blake for fourth overall on the franchise’s all-time list….