Watch: J.T. Miller scores twice in first game since Canucks trade with Rangers

J.T. Miller has his first two goals since being traded by the Vancouver Canucks to the New York Rangers late Friday night.

Miller, 31, had only nine goals coming into the Rangers' Saturday night matchup with the Boston Bruins, then added his 10th and 11th of the season in short order. Miller effectively added another, give or take, 20% of his goal-scoring, which took 40 games, in his first game with the Rangers.

The former Canucks star put the Rangers on the board just over halfway through the first period, benefitting from some strong forechecking work from superstar winger Artemi Panarin.

Pinching up along the left wall in the offensive zone, Panarin forced Bruins defenceman Brandon Carlo into a turnover, deflecting the puck directly into the path of Miller. Miller recognized this and quickly pivoted into a more ideal posture, winding up and cranking the puck off the hop past Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman for the first goal of his second tenure with the Rangers.

Miller's second act came at the beginning of the third period with the Bruins leading the Rangers 4-1. The versatile veteran, playing at the netfront of New York's top power play unit, cashed in with time expiring on the man advantage, re-directing Mika Zibanejad's pass to bring the Rangers within two.

David Pastrnak's empty-net goal made quick work of the Rangers' comeback attempt, ultimately handing Miller a 6-3 loss in his second Rangers debut.

The ex-Canucks forward finished with two goals, a minus-1 plus-minus rating, six shots on goal, four faceoff wins out of 11 (36.4%), and 18:48 of ice time, including 4:23 on the power play.

The Rangers are now six games out of the second Eastern Conference wildcard playoff spot with three games in hand on the Bruins, who occupy this position with their win over New York.