Canucks' Miller makes 20 saves, beats Devils 2-0

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) Even though Ryan Miller didn't know late Canucks coach Pat Quinn well, the Vancouver goalie went a long way to honor his memory.

Miller made 20 saves for his second shutout of the season, and the Canucks beat the New Jersey Devils 2-0 on Tuesday night.

The win came after Vancouver held a pregame ceremony to remember Quinn, a former Canucks player, coach and executive, who died Sunday in Vancouver.

''It was pretty powerful,'' Miller said. ''I have gotten caught up on the history just in the last few days. It's unfortunate I didn't have more of an opportunity to interact with him.

''I'm not even sure how many games I was on the ice when he was coaching.''

Alex Burrows and Shawn Matthias scored for the Canucks, who have won three of four.

''This is a difficult day for a lot of people in this organization,'' said Burrows, who returned after missing two games with an undisclosed injury. ''It's a sad day, but I thought we wanted to respond well and get the win.

''I think, at the end of the day, that's probably what Pat would have wanted the most.''

Cory Schneider stopped 34 shots, but the Devils lost for the fourth time in five games. Schneider is winless in three tries against his former team after being traded to New Jersey in 2013.

''They didn't sit back,'' Schneider said. ''They dictated the way they wanted to play, and it seemed like we were trying to catch up all night.''

Neither team scored in the first period, and the Canucks took a 1-0 lead into the third.

The game was 8:30 old before the Devils recorded their first shot on goal. The Canucks posted 10 in that time en route to outshooting them 17-5 in the first period.

Burrows put the Canucks ahead 1:14 into the second period. Standing almost even with the goal line, he deflected in Kevin Bieksa's point shot. Burrows triggered the scoring play by applying pressure deep in the Devils zone and forcing a turnover.

In the third, Burrows hit the post as he shot on a 2-on-1 rush. With just under seven minutes remaining in the final period, Miller foiled ex-Canucks forward Steve Bernier on a shot from the slot.

About two minutes later, Matthias gave the Canucks a 2-0 lead. Schneider stopped him on a breakaway, but the rebound went in off the skate of Devils defenseman Marek Zidlicky.

''That's kind of how it's been a little bit this year,'' Schneider said. ''We're still in games, and a late one like that, bad luck, bad bounce, whatever, kind of puts us out of it.''

Before the game, a moment of silence was held for Quinn and a video tribute was played while Mark Donnelly sang ''Oh, Danny Boy.''

Bieksa said the tribute helped the Canucks come out ''flying'' with ''a lot of emotion.''

''I felt like I had a little bit of extra energy in my veins to start the game,'' he said.

NOTES: New Jersey D Bryce Salvador (lower body), John Merrill (arm), and forward Ryan Clowe (head) remained out. ... Rookie C Bo Horvat will remain with the Canucks and have the first year of his contract activated, rather than return to London of the OHL. ... New Jersey C Jacob Josefson took a rare faceoff violation penalty in the second period.