Follow @stlgoalie ***UPDATE*** Jay Bouwmeester is out for the game tonight and tomorrow. Pietrangelo and Shattenkirk will start the game paired together. Expect the D line blender to get a strong workout tonight.
The Blues are back from their 5 game, mostly west coast road, tonight to take on the Vancouver Canucks at the Scottrade Center. The Blues began the trip by blowing a third period lead in Dallas before winning in overtime and ended it by shutting out the Canucks and San Jose. Of course, the games in western Canada in between were very forgettable for the Blues. The Blues have a league leading 8 wins in their last 10 and their 16 points has only been equaled by the surging Philadelphia Flyers. The Canucks are tied (Blackhawks and Bruins) for the league worst with 3 wins in the same span.
Just like last Saturday, the Canucks again will be on their second night of a back to back, this time having to travel from Nashville where gave up a 2 goal lead in the third period and lost 3-2 in the shootout. The Blackhawks and their fans can’t be happy about the Canucks blown lead. The Canucks have gotten a few of their injured defensemen back since the game last week in Yannick Weber and Alex Biega. Brandon Sutter remains out and is now joined by Radim Vrbata. Given that Ryan Miller played last night, expect Jacob Markstrom to get the start. Markstrom has only played in 2 games against the Blues (1 start) and has given up 6 goals for a 4.50 GAA and a sub 80% save percentage. The Blues will look to keep those kind stats going.
Blues fans should expect Brian Elliott to get the start tonight and Jake Allen to get tomorrow’s start against the Washington Capitals. Elliott is coming off 2 shutouts in a row and shutout the Canucks in his last game. Allen has struggled against the Canucks with a sub-88% save percentage and a GAA over 3 against them. Elliott on the other hand has a sub 2 GAA and a 92.4% save percentage. Elliot has struggled against the Capitals with a sub-89% save percentage and a GAA over 3 against them.
As you would expect, the Blues have some nagging injuries that at least include Jay Bouwmeester and Kyle Brodziak. Both were given the day off yesterday. I expect Brodziak will play but am not as certain about Bouwmeester. Petteri Lindbohm has been recalled from Chicago.
Any win this weekend for the Blues or a Colorado loss clinches a playoff spot for the Blues. With a win tonight, the Blues will tie the Stars in points but will be in second place as they are 3 wins behind in ROW.
My guess for the Blues lines are as follows: Schwartz –Lehtera – Tarasenko Jaskin - Berglund – Backes Fabbri – Stastny -Brouwer Upshall – Brodziak – Reaves Edmundson – Pietrangelo Shattenkirk - Parayko Gunnarson – Bortuzzo Elliott
Notes from around the league: - Brian Elliott again leads the NHL in GAA and save percentage. St. Louisan Ben Bishop is second in both. - Big game tomorrow night when the Avalanche host the wild in a battle for the last wild card spot. - The Blackhawks have the Predators in their rear view mirror, only 2 points behind. - The Red Wings no longer have the Flyers in their rear view mirror because they got passed and out the outside looking in with the two teams in front of them having games in hand. - 5 out of the top 7 points per game teams are in the Western Conference. - Goal review, both in Toronto and in-game referee versions, need a complete rework. Sometimes I wonder if they flipped for it. Need more evidence? This was ruled no goal: