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The Vancouver Canucks were hoping for an improved showing when they signed former Vezina Trophy winner Ryan Miller to a three-year deal this summer. The Canucks have experienced that so far with a promising start and Miller might have a chance to make another contribution Friday night if he gets to face a team thats never beaten him in seven starts, the scuffling Arizona Coyotes. Catch all the action on TSN 1040 starting at 5pm PT. After ending a streak of five consecutive playoff appearances in 2013-14, Vancouver appears very capable of making it back to the postseason with a 12-5-0 start. After an uneven beginning, Miller did his part with a 1.70 goals-against average during a recent seven-game win streak, but he needed a boost from his teammates for a league-best 11th win, a 4-3 overtime victory against Ottawa on Tuesday. After allowing the tying goal with 11:18 left in regulation, the Canucks finished it off when Daniel Sedin scored with 55 seconds remaining in the extra period. We are happy, obviously, defenseman Kevin Bieksa said. Its a good start for us. We wanted to get out of the gate early with the way the summer went and all the new changes. A lot of guys coming in wanted to prove themselves and reprove themselves. Weve got that accomplished so far. The Canucks have won back-to-back games since a 5-1 defeat to Los Angeles on Saturday and took a 2-1 shootout win over Anaheim the next day with Eddie Lack in net for the finale of a four-game trip. We find ways to win. Its fun, forward Henrik Sedin said. Having been off for two days and with a four-day break coming up, Vancouver will likely turn to Miller again as hes 7-0-0 with a 1.27 GAA all-time against the Coyotes. Thats easily his lowest GAA versus any opponent and his second-best record versus any team behind a 10-0-0 mark against Edmonton. Western Conference-worst Arizona (6-9-1) heads into Vancouver seeking to avoid a season-high fourth consecutive loss. Coyotes goaltender Mike Smith has been charged with a combined nine goals in the past two defeats, the latest a 5-3 loss in Calgary in Thursdays opener to a three-game trip. There are plays that have to get made, saves that have to get done. We just have to play better as a group, coach Dave Tippett said. Its unknown if Smith, 4-9-0 with a 3.43 GAA this season, will start on back-to-back nights. He started all five games against Vancouver last season and led the Coyotes to a 3-0-2 series victory while posting a 1.93 GAA. Smith, though, also gave up a combined eight goals in two overtime losses in Vancouver. Backup Devan Dubnyk allowed a total of nine goals in a pair of defeats in Vancouver last season while with Edmonton. Its also unclear if Vancouvers Radim Vrbata will get to face his former club, but he did practice Thursday. Vrbata has missed the past two games with a leg injury after producing six goals and seven assists in his first 15 with the Canucks. He had 20 goals and a career-best 31 assists last season with the Coyotes and scored a career-high 35 goals for them in 2011-12. Former teammate Antoine Vermette has nine goals and three assists in his last nine games against Vancouver and scored six times in last seasons series. He recorded the latest of his three career hat tricks in a 5-4 overtime defeat in Vancouver on Jan. 26. PROJECTED LINES: Forwards D. Sedin - H. Sedin - Vrbata Higgins - Bonino - Burrows Matthias - Richardson - Jensen Dorsett - Vey - Hansen Defence Edler - Tanev Hamhuis - Weber Stanton - Bieksa Goalie Miller Lack Scratched Horvat, Sanguenetti Injured Kassian (knee), Sestit (groin), Sbisa (ankle) Jaromir Jagr Stars Jersey . And follow TSN.ca right through Deadline Day for all the updates. Getting Creative The Pittsburgh Penguins will try their best to acquire Ryan Kesler from the Vancouver Canucks before the Trade Deadline. Neal Broten Jersey . Head coach Corey Chamblin announced on Monday that Avon Cobourne had been hired as the defending Grey Cup champions new running backs coach. http://www.thedallasstarshockey.com/mike...-hockey-jersey/. The Indians scored twice in the top of the ninth, getting the go-ahead run on a wild pitch by closer Matt Lindstrom. Axford (0-1) came in seeking his fifth save in as many chances. Jon Casey Stars Jersey . Samir Nasris 88th-minute equalizer at Etihad Stadium will be of little consolation to City, which is now six points behind league leader Liverpool and four points behind second-place Chelsea. Third-place City has a game in hand but the surprise result against Sunderland, coupled with Sundays 3-2 loss at Liverpool, may be a setback too far in its bid for a second championship in three seasons. Alexander Radulov Jersey . "Im proud, obviously. Its been a long day, but now Im a Crystal Palace player, Im very happy," Bannan said. "The seasons been started now for a couple of weeks and Ive not featured at Villa. NEW YORK -- The sons of former big leaguers Lenny Dykstra and Charlie Leibrandt were among the players selected Friday during the second day of the Major League Baseball draft. Luke Dykstra, an infielder at Westlake High School in suburban Los Angeles, was drafted in the seventh round by Atlanta. Hes the second son of the former All-Star outfielder to be drafted; infielder Cutter Dykstra was a second-round pick by Milwaukee in 2008 and is currently in Washingtons system. "Hes just like his dad," Braves scouting director Tony DeMacio told MLB.com, referring to Luke Dykstra. "He plays with his hair on fire." Florida State left-hander Brandon Leibrandt went in the sixth round to Philadelphia. He was 4-1 with a 1.83 ERA this season, but missed several weeks with a severely bruised left leg. "The Phillies were a little bit of a surprise," Leibrandt said in a statement released by Florida State. "I didnt think they were going to be one of the front-runners, but they called me at the start of the sixth round, we had a good talk and the rest is history." Leibrandt got the news while he was with his family, including his father, who won 140 games over 14 major league seasons. "Out of everyone, I think my mom was the most excited," Brandon Leibrandt said. "She went a little crazy, so I had to calm her down. But overall, I just couldnt have asked for anything more." Seminole State Junior College right-hander Jake Cosart, the brother of Astros starter Jarred Cosart, was a third-round pick by Boston. "As cool as it wouldve been for him to be an Astro itts so awesome that hes part of such a storied org.dddddddddddd In Boston," Jarred Cosart wrote on Twitter. "Congrats (at)JakeCosart." Detroit took UCLA catcher Shane Zeile, the nephew of former big leaguer Todd Zeile, in the fifth round. Zeile led the Bruins by hitting .324 with two homers and 28 RBIs. After having no picks in the first two rounds, Baltimore made eight selections Friday, including Notre Dame right-hander Pat Connaughton, who also started at guard for the Fighting Irish basketball team. After averaging 13.8 points and 7.1 rebounds on the court, the 6-foot-5 Connaughton went 3-5 with a 3.92 ERA in 62 innings on the mound for Notre Dame. "Its a dream come true to be able to play at a place like Notre Dame and have it pay off," Connaughton told the schools website. "When I saw my name, I was surprised and excited all at the same time. I was pumped that its an East Coast team and a great organization to learn and develop in." The Orioles had forfeited their first two picks after signing free agents Nelson Cruz and Ubaldo Jimenez during the off-season. Their first selection came in the third round with Florida high school lefty Brian Gonzalez, who went 90th overall. Miami right-hander Javier Salas, who pitched the second perfect game in Hurricanes history this season, went in the 10th round to Milwaukee. The draft will be completed with rounds 11-40 on Saturday via conference calls with all 30 teams. Houston led off for the third straight year Thursday night, taking California high school lefty Brady Aiken with the first overall pick. ' ' '