JT Miller made his presence known in a physical and eventful Vancouver Canucks season opener on Wednesday night, as they faced off against the Calgary Flames. The Canucks’ home opener quickly turned heated after Miller delivered a heavy hit to Flames forward Kevin Rooney, forcing Rooney out of the game.
The incident took place in the first period, with Rooney skating out of Calgary’s defensive zone. Miller approached from the side and delivered a hard check that sent Rooney crashing into the boards. He stayed down on the ice for several moments as the Flames’ training staff hurried to attend to him. A scrum immediately broke out between the Canucks and Flames players, with tempers flaring in the aftermath of the hit.
Rooney, 31, eventually left the ice with help from his teammates, appearing shaken but able to skate off under his own power. He was escorted directly to the dressing room for further evaluation and did not return to the game. Rooney only saw 1:03 of ice time before his early exit, a blow for the Flames in a game that would continue with a high level of intensity.
Although Miller was not penalized for the hit itself, the ensuing altercation led to several penalties. Five roughing penalties were handed out, with Flames forward Adam Klapka receiving a double minor. The fiery atmosphere that followed set the stage for more confrontations throughout the period.
Later in the opening frame, with just over a minute left, Miller and Flames forward Anthony Mantha engaged in a fight. The clash seemed inevitable, as the two had been exchanging words earlier in the game. Both players threw punches in a brief but intense bout before Mantha fell to the ice. Referees quickly stepped in, sending both Miller and Mantha to their respective locker rooms with five-minute fighting majors.
Miller’s physical presence, both in his hit on Rooney and his fight with Mantha, clearly influenced the game’s momentum. Stay tuned to CanucksArmy for Instant Reaction and The Stanchies after the game!