Hayes, Miller score twice apiece to lift Rangers
VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- Kevin Hayes and J.T. Miller scored two goals apiece as the New York Rangers defeated the Vancouver Canucks 7-2 on Tuesday night.
Mats Zuccarello added a goal and two assists. Brandon Pirri and Nick Holden also scored -- both on the power play -- for the Metropolitan Division-leading Rangers (13-4-0).
Jesper Fast, Kevin Klein and Mika Zibanejad added two assists apiece.
Brandon Sutter and Markus Granlund scored for Vancouver (6-10-1).
Henrik Lundqvist stopped 36 shots for New York. Canucks goaltender Jacob Markstrom made 18 saves.
Hayes and Miller scored 42 seconds apart early in the third period.
Hayes made it 4-1 when he beat Markstrom on a breakaway with 1:49 gone in the period. Miller made it 5-1 at 2:31 when he took a pass from Zibanejad and slid the puck behind the Canuck goaltender.
Granlund cut into the Rangers' lead at 13:26 when he chopped a high pass from Derek Dorsett out of the air and past Lundqvist.
Zuccarello scored his seventh of the year at 15:12. He took a pass from Holden and scored for the slot.
Holden scored with a slapshot from the point at 18:04.
It was the third consecutive victory for the Rangers and their eighth in nine games. The loss was a 5-3 defeat at home by the Canucks on Nov. 8. New York has also held its opponents to two or fewer goals 11 times in the last 14 games.
Vancouver has lost 11 of its last 13 games.
The Rangers took a 3-1 lead into the third period.
Hayes made it 2-0 New York at 9:08 of the second. He took a pass from Fast and let go a booming slapshot from the faceoff circle that beat Markstrom low on the blocker side. Defenseman Brady Skjei earned his 10th assist of the season.
Pirri made it 3-0 on a power-play at 14:38. Zibanejad took a shot that Markstrom stopped, but Pirri was able to put in the rebound.
The Canucks scored with only 41 seconds left in the period. With Henrik Sedin screening in front of the net, Sutter took a shot from along the boards that beat Lundqvist on the far side.
The Rangers were outshot 17-10 in the first period but took a 1-0 lead when Miller scored an acrobatic goal with 1:18 remaining.
After carrying the puck into the Canucks' zone, Zuccarello sent a pass across the front of the net. Miller managed to tip the puck with the heel of his stick between his legs. The puck appeared to hit defenseman Luca Sbisa and go between Markstrom's legs.
It was the 15th time in 17 games Vancouver had allowed the first goal.
NOTES: Brandon Sutter, normally a center, started the game playing right wing on Vancouver's top line with C Hendrik Sedin and LW Daniel Sedin. ... D Luca Sbisa joined Mark Steit and Jonas Hiller as the third Swiss to play 400 NHL games. ... Markus Granlund was on the second line with LW Loui Eriksson and RW Derek Dorsett. ... Vancouver scratches were RW Jake Virtanen, D Philip Larsen and D Alex Biega. ... The Canucks homestand continues Thursday against Arizona. ... The Rangers were without LW Chris Kreider (upper body) and RW Pavel Buchnevich (back spasms). ... C Cristoval Nieves made his NHL debut on the fourth line after being called up from Hartford of the AHL. ... D Adam Clendening was a healthy scratch. ... The Rangers have 10 players who have scored 10 or more points this season. ... The Rangers' road trip continues Friday in Columbus.