BOSTON — J.T. Miller scored in the opening period Saturday against the Boston Bruins, a day after he was acquired in a trade from Vancouver.
The New York Rangers got the 31-year old Miller and a pair of defensemen from the Canucks for center Filip Chytil, defenseman Victor Mancini and a 2025 conditional draft pick.
Originally drafted by the Rangers in 2011, Miller collected a pass in the slot from linemate Artemi Panarin and one-timed a rising shot past Boston goalie Jeremy Swayman, tying the game at 1-1 midway into the period.
Coming to a team that entered the day sixth in the Metropolitan Division fighting for one of the Eastern Conference’s playoff spots, Miller got some simple pregame advice from coach Peter Laviolette after flying in from Dallas, where he was a late scratch in the Canucks 5-3 loss on Friday night.
“At the end of it, I just said, ‘Take it all in. You now have a starting point of information but focus on just going out and playing hard and having fun,’’’ Laviolette said before the game. ‘“Don’t think too much. Play first, think second.”’
Wearing No. 8 and starting the game on the team’s top line, Miller was also with Rangers winger Mika Zibanejad.
“He’s a power forward that can play the game hard,” Laviolette said. “He can score goals and make plays. He’s got an edge to his game and plays different positions, so it’s a big piece.”
He spent parts of six seasons in New York before being dealt to Tampa Bay along with defenseman Ryan McDonagh on Feb. 26, 2018.
He wore No. 9 in Vancouver, but that was retired by the Rangers in February 2009 for former player Andy Bathgate, a star during the Original Six era.
In his second year of a seven-year, $56 million deal, Miller was brought in to help bolster a Rangers’ lineup that’s struggled after winning the Presidents’ Trophy a year ago and reaching the Eastern Conference final.
He had nine goals and 26 assists in 40 games with Vancouver this season.
