BLUES AT CANUCKS
When: Wednesday, March 30 at 9 p.m. CT
Where: Rogers Arena in Vancouver, BC
Watch: Bally Sports Midwest, Bally Sports app
Listen: Q94 93.9 fm
TEAM SNAPSHOTS
BLUES Vladimir Tarasenko recorded three points – including the 500th of his career – in a 4-1 win for the Blues against the Vancouver Canucks on Monday night at Enterprise Center.
Tarasenko became just the fifth player in Blues history to reach 500 points with the club, joining Bernie Federko, Brett Hull, Brian Sutter and Garry Unger.
Ville Husso made 35 saves in the win, which pulled the Blues back into third place in the Central Division for a day.
The Blues begin a three-game road trip to Western Canada on Wednesday when they have a rematch with the Canucks. The trip will continue to Edmonton and Calgary for back-to-back games over the weekend.
The Blues enter Wednesday’s game with a record of 36-20-9, good for 81 points.
CANUCKS After a tumultuous start to their season, the Vancouver Canucks have slowly worked their way back into the Playoff picture. Before they hired Bruce Boudreau as head coach in early December, the Canucks were 8-15-2, last place in the Pacific Division.
Since Boudreau won his first game behind the bench, the Canucks have turned their season around. They have a record of 24-12-7 under Boudreau, and are now just three points out of a Western Conference Playoff spot as of Tuesday afternoon.
Despite ending a four-game point streak in Monday’s loss to St. Louis, the Canucks have a tremendous opportunity to stay in the hunt for a Playoff spot.
They play a home-and-home set with Vegas, who currently holds the last Western Conference Playoff spot, after Wednesday’s matchup with the Blues, then play a pair against the Sharks and Coyotes before seeing the Golden Knights yet again for the third time in nine days.
If this upcoming stretch breaks in their favor – playing seven of their next nine games on home ice – Vancouver could see themselves firmly in the Playoff race. By opposing win-loss record, the Canucks also have the sixth easiest remaining schedule in the NHL (St. Louis ranks 14th).
Monday’s loss to the Blues brought Vancouver’s season record to 32-27-9, worth 73 points and fifth place in the Pacific Division.
HEAD-TO-HEAD Wednesday will mark the third and final matchup between the Blues and Canucks this season. The Blues are 2-0 against Vancouver in 2021-22.
The Blues are 4-1-1 in their last six regular-season matchups with the Canucks, and 6-2-2 in their last 10 trips to Vancouver.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
BLUES Robert Thomas recorded two assists on Monday night, eclipsing 40 in a season for the first time in his career. The 22-year-old forward is at a career-best 52 points this season and has recorded multi-point games in four of his last six outings.
CANUCKS J.T. Miller, who firmly leads the Canucks in points this season. The All-Star forward has a career-best 80 points in 66 games thus far, scoring 28 goals and recording 52 assists in an impressive campaign.
BLUE NOTES
Jordan Kyrou (23) and Thomas (22) are the first set of teammates in Blues history to each record 40 assists in the same season prior to turning 24 years old. Prior to this season, only three players had recorded 40 assists in a season prior to turning 24: Bernie Federko, Doug Gilmour and Wayne Babych… Kyrou is on pace to become the seventh player in Blues history to record 70 points in a season before turning 24, last achieved by Tarasenko in 2014-15… Perron is two goals shy of matching his highest mark as a Blue, scoring 25 goals in the 2019-20 season.
