Goaltender Ryan Miller is expected to start for the Vancouver Canucks, 8-2-3 in their past 13 games and one point behind the Calgary Flames for the second wild card from the Western Conference into the Stanley Cup Playoffs with three games in hand. Miller is 7-1-2 in his past 10 starts with 17 goals allowed. He had 31 saves Sunday in a 4-2 loss at the Chicago Blackhawks. Miller remains one win from tying Rogie Vachon (355) for 19th place on the NHL all-time list. Defenseman Alexander Edler sustained an upper-body injury Sunday, but ook part in an optional morning skate Wednesday and said he will play against the Colorado Avalanche. "We're expecting a tight game," Edler said. "We're in a position where we really need the points. We're focusing a lot on playing good defensively, and that usually creates things offensively. This whole stretch now, the second half of the season, is so important." The Canucks run follows a 2-5-1 stretch. "We've all been on the same page since then," Edler said, "playing the way we should play, five guys together all over the ice."
