Cooler heads have prevailed.

Or maybe in this instance we can just say that a cooler head has prevailed.

J.T. Miller of the Vancouver Canucks has had a career year thus far. With an assist in Tuesday nightB次元官网网址檚 disappointing 5-1 loss to the Los Angeles Kings at Rogers Arena, Miller extended his current points streak to six games. In 62 games, the 30-year-old has accumulated 30 goals and 52 assists for 83 points, and is on pace to set career highs in all three categories.

Miller plays with a lot of emotion and passion. There have been examples in the past where that passion and emotion have hurt his game but those outbursts have been kept to a minimum this year.

The overall success of the team has helped. The current 1-5-1 slump notwithstanding, the Canucks have played some great hockey this season and to quote the great John F. Kennedy, a rising tide lifts all boats.

Miller believes that the teamB次元官网网址檚 success hasnB次元官网网址檛 really given him too many opportunities to get emotional.

B次元官网网址淚 feel like I carry the same amount (of passion) and I still get just as angry. I just feel like weB次元官网网址檙e winning a lot more hockey games. When youB次元官网网址檙e losing games, itB次元官网网址檚 easy to be more frustrated and we are coming out on the right side of things a lot more nights than we arenB次元官网网址檛,B次元官网网址� said Miller.

B次元官网网址淗onestly, I think thatB次元官网网址檚 a big reason (why) because the team has come together and weB次元官网网址檝e had a lot more success. It allows me to play more level-headed B次元官网网址� especially when we are winning games because you donB次元官网网址檛 want to be a distraction but itB次元官网网址檚 something that IB次元官网网址檓 constantly working at and something that IB次元官网网址檓 trying to get better at every day.B次元官网网址�

But according to one teammate, thereB次元官网网址檚 more to Miller controlling his emotions than just team success.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e been with Millsy since the start. To see him grow not only as a player but the way heB次元官网网址檚 matured off the ice in how to handle different situationsB次元官网网址�itB次元官网网址檚 great to see. If you look at Millsy right now, it might be the best hockey IB次元官网网址檝e seen him play in the last stretch here. HeB次元官网网址檚 a big driver for our group and when heB次元官网网址檚 going the way heB次元官网网址檚 going B次元官网网址� when heB次元官网网址檚 channeling his energy into the game B次元官网网址� itB次元官网网址檚 amazing to watch,B次元官网网址� explained defenseman Tyler Myers.

So whatB次元官网网址檚 changed with MillerB次元官网网址檚 approach?

If you ask Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet, the answer is simple.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 just communicating. If he feels if heB次元官网网址檚 going a little sideways or whatever word you want to use, itB次元官网网址檚 communication. ItB次元官网网址檚 getting to Millsy or him getting to me and talking it out. If thereB次元官网网址檚 something that bothers him, he gets to it in a good way. ThatB次元官网网址檚 what I like. ItB次元官网网址檚 not negativeB次元官网网址�itB次元官网网址檚 not combativeB次元官网网址�itB次元官网网址檚 just getting to it. I got to give him a lot of credit because itB次元官网网址檚 all him. HeB次元官网网址檚 done a really good job on working on that,B次元官网网址� stated Tocchet.

When asked what has made Miller so successful this season from an XB次元官网网址檚 and OB次元官网网址檚 perspective, Tocchet believes that Miller has been extremely proactive.

B次元官网网址淚 think he demands the puck and he drives the play. YouB次元官网网址檒l see certain points of the game where we need a little boost and heB次元官网网址檒l demand the puck. ThatB次元官网网址檚 the way I want our team to play B次元官网网址� demand the puck. If you wait around for the puck, youB次元官网网址檙e gonna be waiting around for the puck,B次元官网网址� explained Tocchet.

B次元官网网址淗eB次元官网网址檚 not waiting. HeB次元官网网址檚 basically giving the puck or IB次元官网网址檓 going to go here B次元官网网址� or whatever the option is for the other guy. HeB次元官网网址檚 just driving the play and you can just see it.B次元官网网址�

OVERTIME

* Brock Boeser scored the lone Canucks goal in the loss B次元官网网址� extending his point streak to six games (5-3-8) as well. The Kings got goals from Drew Doughty, Anze Kopitar, Kevin Fiala, Brandt Clarke and Trevor Moore. Los Angeles netminder Cam Talbot stopped 22 of 23 shots while VancouverB次元官网网址檚 Thatcher Demko gave up five goals on 20 shots.

* The loss to the Kings, coupled with TuesdayB次元官网网址檚 3-2 loss to Pittsburgh, marked the first time this season the Canucks had lost consecutive games at home.

* B次元官网网址淚 didnB次元官网网址檛 think we gave them a lot but what we gave them was egregious. I mean look at the goals, weB次元官网网址檙e all in, pushing the chips in. So we got to correct it. WeB次元官网网址檝e got to recharge and we just got to get our mind right,B次元官网网址� Tocchet said afterwards.

* The game marked the first time the Canucks and Kings have met this season with three more meetings on tap.

* Frank Seravalli of The Daily Faceoff reports that the B次元官网网址淐anucks have made significant progress with superstar Elias Pettersson working on what is believed to be an 8-year contract extension. Not done, but big development, and a new deal could be finalized in the coming days.B次元官网网址�

* Canucks defenseman Carson Soucy, who has been out of the lineup since Jan. 22 with a hand injury, B次元官网网址榠s fairly closeB次元官网网址� to returning according to Tocchet. There is a possibility he could draw into the lineup on the upcoming three-game road trip to Anaheim, Los Angeles and Vegas.

Veteran B.C. sports personality Bob B次元官网网址渢he MojB次元官网网址� Marjanovich writes twice weekly for Black Press Media.

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