VANCOUVER, British Columbia — On a meaningful night for their captain, the Rangers made sure to deliver.

The Blueshirts snapped a three-game losing skid with a 2-0 win over the Canucks on Tuesday night at Rogers Arena, where J.T. Miller was welcomed back with a mixed reception from local fans for the first time since he departed Vancouver via trade on Jan. 31. 

This game seemed to have more on the line than just a clash between two middling teams, and the Rangers came through for their captain.

“For sure [there’s added motivation],” said Sam Carrick, who dropped the gloves in the first period before scoring an empty-net goal with 1:33 left in regulation to send Vancouver fans for the exit. “Obviously, he’s our leader here. The type of guy who wears his heart on his sleeve and means a lot to our group. For sure, it’s a huge game. For us, but most importantly, him.”

After veering away from the defensive prowess they started the season with, the Rangers were structurally sound in this one.

They limited Vancouver to just three high-danger shots through the first two periods and seven overall, according to Natural Stat Trick.

The Rangers spent a good portion of the third period in their own end, but they hung on for the win.

Mika Zibanejad is congratulated by teammates after scoring a first-period goal during the Rangers’ 2-0 win over the Canucks on Oct. 28, 2025 in British Columbia, Canada. Getty Images

“That’s the game that we’ve put on the ice for most of this year,” head coach Mike Sullivan said. “When we play that way, we’re going to give ourselves a chance to win every night.

Miller was greeted by a chorus of boos from the crowd when he first touched the puck, but they seemed to get quieter and quieter as the game went on.

When the Jumbotron played his video tribute, however, those in attendance were also on their feet clapping.

J.T. Miller salutes the crowd during the first period of the Rangers’ road win over the Canucks. Getty Images

The 32-year-old Miller saluted the Vancouver fans graciously before refocusing on the task at hand.

“It’s just surreal,” he said of the reception. “You don’t realize how lucky you are.”

Breaking up lots of plays with their sticks and disrupting odd-man rushes, the Rangers didn’t give the home team much to work with offensively. Rangers goalie Jonathan Quick simply did the rest.

Stopping all 23 shots he faced, Quick registered his first shutout of the season.

Jonathan Quick makes a save during the third period of the Rangers’ road win over the Canucks. NHLI via Getty Images

The 64th shutout of his NHL career tied him with Henrik Lundqvist for the 17th most in NHL history.

The Rangers pieced together one of their better starts in the last week or so, limiting the Canucks to just four shots on goal through the opening 20 minutes and taking a 1-0 lead into the first intermission.

Mika Zibanejad weaved through three Canucks skaters before dishing the puck to Will Cuylle and driving to the net.

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Batting in his fourth goal of the season off a feed from Cuylle, Zibanejad gave the Rangers the first goal of the game for the first time since the loss to Minnesota last Monday.

“I thought the guys played really hard,” Sullivan said. “I thought their intentions, our mindset was in the right place. We defended hard. When there were breakdowns, we got some good saves from Quickie. I just think from a team structure standpoint and overall team game, I thought we were much better tonight.”