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含羞草研究社檚 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含羞草研究社檚 success hasn含羞草研究社檛 really given him too many opportunities to get emotional.

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

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

But according to one teammate, there含羞草研究社檚 more to Miller controlling his emotions than just team success.

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

So what含羞草研究社檚 changed with Miller含羞草研究社檚 approach?

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

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

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

含羞草研究社淚 think he demands the puck and he drives the play. You含羞草研究社檒l see certain points of the game where we need a little boost and he含羞草研究社檒l demand the puck. That含羞草研究社檚 the way I want our team to play 含羞草研究社� demand the puck. If you wait around for the puck, you含羞草研究社檙e gonna be waiting around for the puck,含羞草研究社� explained Tocchet.

含羞草研究社淗e含羞草研究社檚 not waiting. He含羞草研究社檚 basically giving the puck or I含羞草研究社檓 going to go here 含羞草研究社� or whatever the option is for the other guy. He含羞草研究社檚 just driving the play and you can just see it.含羞草研究社�

OVERTIME

* Brock Boeser scored the lone Canucks goal in the loss 含羞草研究社� 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含羞草研究社檚 Thatcher Demko gave up five goals on 20 shots.

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

* 含羞草研究社淚 didn含羞草研究社檛 think we gave them a lot but what we gave them was egregious. I mean look at the goals, we含羞草研究社檙e all in, pushing the chips in. So we got to correct it. We含羞草研究社檝e got to recharge and we just got to get our mind right,含羞草研究社� 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 含羞草研究社淐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.含羞草研究社�

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

READ MORE:

READ MORE: