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 night害羞草研究所檚 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 team害羞草研究所檚 success hasn害羞草研究所檛 really given him too many opportunities to get emotional.

害羞草研究所淚 feel like I carry the same amount (of passion) and I still get just as angry. I just feel like we害羞草研究所檙e winning a lot more hockey games. When you害羞草研究所檙e losing games, it害羞草研究所檚 easy to be more frustrated and we are coming out on the right side of things a lot more nights than we aren害羞草研究所檛,害羞草研究所� said Miller.

害羞草研究所淗onestly, I think that害羞草研究所檚 a big reason (why) because the team has come together and we害羞草研究所檝e had a lot more success. It allows me to play more level-headed 害羞草研究所� especially when we are winning games because you don害羞草研究所檛 want to be a distraction but it害羞草研究所檚 something that I害羞草研究所檓 constantly working at and something that I害羞草研究所檓 trying to get better at every day.害羞草研究所�

But according to one teammate, there害羞草研究所檚 more to Miller controlling his emotions than just team success.

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檝e been with Millsy since the start. To see him grow not only as a player but the way he害羞草研究所檚 matured off the ice in how to handle different situations害羞草研究所�it害羞草研究所檚 great to see. If you look at Millsy right now, it might be the best hockey I害羞草研究所檝e seen him play in the last stretch here. He害羞草研究所檚 a big driver for our group and when he害羞草研究所檚 going the way he害羞草研究所檚 going 害羞草研究所� when he害羞草研究所檚 channeling his energy into the game 害羞草研究所� it害羞草研究所檚 amazing to watch,害羞草研究所� explained defenseman Tyler Myers.

So what害羞草研究所檚 changed with Miller害羞草研究所檚 approach?

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

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 just communicating. If he feels if he害羞草研究所檚 going a little sideways or whatever word you want to use, it害羞草研究所檚 communication. It害羞草研究所檚 getting to Millsy or him getting to me and talking it out. If there害羞草研究所檚 something that bothers him, he gets to it in a good way. That害羞草研究所檚 what I like. It害羞草研究所檚 not negative害羞草研究所�it害羞草研究所檚 not combative害羞草研究所�it害羞草研究所檚 just getting to it. I got to give him a lot of credit because it害羞草研究所檚 all him. He害羞草研究所檚 done a really good job on working on that,害羞草研究所� stated Tocchet.

When asked what has made Miller so successful this season from an X害羞草研究所檚 and O害羞草研究所檚 perspective, Tocchet believes that Miller has been extremely proactive.

害羞草研究所淚 think he demands the puck and he drives the play. You害羞草研究所檒l see certain points of the game where we need a little boost and he害羞草研究所檒l demand the puck. That害羞草研究所檚 the way I want our team to play 害羞草研究所� demand the puck. If you wait around for the puck, you害羞草研究所檙e gonna be waiting around for the puck,害羞草研究所� explained Tocchet.

害羞草研究所淗e害羞草研究所檚 not waiting. He害羞草研究所檚 basically giving the puck or I害羞草研究所檓 going to go here 害羞草研究所� or whatever the option is for the other guy. He害羞草研究所檚 just driving the play and you can just see it.害羞草研究所�

OVERTIME

* Brock Boeser scored the lone Canucks goal in the loss 害羞草研究所� 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 Vancouver害羞草研究所檚 Thatcher Demko gave up five goals on 20 shots.

* The loss to the Kings, coupled with Tuesday害羞草研究所檚 3-2 loss to Pittsburgh, marked the first time this season the Canucks had lost consecutive games at home.

* 害羞草研究所淚 didn害羞草研究所檛 think we gave them a lot but what we gave them was egregious. I mean look at the goals, we害羞草研究所檙e all in, pushing the chips in. So we got to correct it. We害羞草研究所檝e got to recharge and we just got to get our mind right,害羞草研究所� 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 害羞草研究所淐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.害羞草研究所�

* Canucks defenseman Carson Soucy, who has been out of the lineup since Jan. 22 with a hand injury, 害羞草研究所榠s fairly close害羞草研究所� 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 害羞草研究所渢he Moj害羞草研究所� Marjanovich writes twice weekly for Black Press Media.

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