Music: {allcanada} Canucks to start Miller in Game 5 against Flames

Thursday, April 23, 2015

{allcanada} Canucks to start Miller in Game 5 against Flames

Nashville / Natalie Portman / NHL / Ordinary World / Pamela Anderson

VANCOUVER – With the Vancouver Canucks facing elimination, coach Willie Desjardins announced that goalie Ryan Miller will start Game 5 of the Western Conference First Round series against the Calgary Flames on Thursday at Rogers Arena (10 p.m. ET; CNBC, CBC, TVA Sports).

Miller, who has started one game in two months since injuring his right knee, replaced Eddie Lack after the first period of a 3-1 loss in Game 4 that left the Canucks trailing the Flames 3-1 in the best-of-7 series.

"Performance is No.1," Desjardins said of the decision. "I think he's been in big games before, but the biggest thing is how he played in Calgary. I thought he looked real sharp in Calgary."

Miller has played five periods since spraining his knee Feb. 22. He said after practice Wednesday it won't to be 100 percent physically this season, but after struggling in the regular-season finale on April 11, Miller looked calm and in control, stopping all 15 shots he faced over the final two periods of Game 4.

"I just think Miller looked real good in Calgary," Desjardins said. "He was really clean the last two periods and out of that I think he deserves the chance."

Miller was signed to a three-year, $18-million contract as a free agent last summer to be the Canucks' new No.1 goalie, but Lack went 12-6-1 with a .927 save percentage over the final two months to help the Canucks earn second place in the Pacific Division and home-ice advantage to start the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Lack played well in his playoff debut and won Game 2 4-1, but after getting beaten by two good power-play chances on four shots in Game 4, he got caught overplaying his angle on the third Calgary goal.

Lack finished the regular season 18-13-4 with a .921 save percentage that was notably higher than Miller's .911. But Miller's 29-15-1 record was better, and Desjardins cited Miller's 54 games of playoff experience as a factor.

"It's not easy," Desjardins said. "Eddie has played real great for us. He did a great job down the stretch."

Paul Newman / Reese Witherspoon / Revenge / Salma Hayek / Soap Operas