BLUES The St. Louis Blues are hoping to keep building momentum as they reach the center point of this pivotal season-long road trip, looking for their fourth consecutive win on Monday in Vancouver.
Two hard-fought overtime wins on Monday and Thursday led the way to a wider margin of victory on Friday in Calgary. The Blues scored two goals just over one minute apart to pull away from the Flames and hand them their fifth straight loss in a 5-2 victory in their last outing.
Jordan Kyrou kept up his fiery pace of play, adding two goals and six shots on goal to help lead the offensive charge. Ten of Kyrou’s 13 goals this season have come on the road, so he will be looking to keep up his impact in enemy territory at Rogers Arena on Monday.
The Blues went 3-for-3 on the penalty kill in Calgary, bringing their penalty-kill efficiency to 86.7 percent over their last four games – a mark that would rank No. 1 in the NHL through the season thus far.
The Blues bring a record of 15-15-1 to Vancouver, worth 31 points and fifth place in the Central Division.
CANUCKS The Vancouver Canucks struggled to get going out of the gate this season, losing their first seven games before recording their first win. Their schedule did not do them many favors – they had a five-game road trip to open the season as well as another five-game trip in early November.
After their 0-5-2 start, however, the Canucks seem to have leveled out to be a League-average team. Since the opening seven games, they have been No. 17 in the NHL in the standings while No. 5 in goals scored per game.
Similar to the Blues, the Canucks have played several high-intensity, close games in the last two weeks. They won three games in overtime and another in a shootout within their last six games, though will be most recently coming off a 5-1 loss to Winnipeg when they host the Blues.
Monday’s game will be Vancouver’s second of a three-game stand, continuing with Seattle – the Blues’ Tuesday night opponent – on Thursday.
The Canucks have a season record of 13-14-3, worth 29 points and sixth place in the Pacific Division.
HEAD-TO-HEAD The Blues went a perfect 3-0 against the Canucks last season with a total goal differential of 11-5. Over their last 11 games in Vancouver, the Blues are 7-2-2 with wins in both of the last two.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
BLUES Robert Thomas, whose two assists on Friday in Calgary brought his season total to a team-high 21. Thomas recorded three points across three games against the Canucks last season, including a shorthanded goal in his last visit to Vancouver.
CANUCKS Elias Pettersson, who scored overtime winners in consecutive games on Dec. 5 and 7. Pettersson’s 34 points lead the Canucks this year, with seven coming in his last five games.
BLUE NOTES
The Blues have not allowed a power-play goal in five straight matchups with the Canucks, going 14-for-14 in that span… The Blues are 8-2-0 against the Pacific Division this year, and all five games of the current road trip are against Pacific Division teams… The win in Edmonton on Thursday was the Blues’ second multi-goal third-period comeback of the season. Vladimir Tarasenko‘s first career shorthanded goal forced overtime when he tied the game with 19 seconds left in regulation.
