PREMIUM
Rogers' NHL Coach's Clinic >> Only $20!
(NHL) St. Louis vs. Vancouver,
Money Line: 139.00 Vancouver (Home)
Result: Win
Money Line: 139.00 Vancouver (Home)
Result: Win
The set up: Many picked the Canucks to finish dead last in the 30-team league this season, coming off a 2015-16 campaign plagued by numerous injuries and inconsistency in which Vancouver went 31-38-13, 75 points. However, Vancouver has opened with consecutive wins, 2-1 in a shootout on Saturday over the Flames and 4-3 (OT) on Sunday over the Hurricanes. That said, the task gets much more difficult tonight, as the St. Louis Blues have opened with three wins (over Chicago, Minnesota and the NY Rangers) and will vie for the second 4-0-0 start in franchise history in Tuesday's game at Rogers Arena.
St. Louis: The Blues have scored 11 goals in their three wins, with center Paul Stastny leading the way with two goals and four assists. Winger Vladimir Tarasenko has three goals and two assists plus fellow winger Thomas Steen has chipped in a goal and three assists. The Blues have allowed six goals in their three wins, with No. 1 goalie Allen posting a 2.00 GAA and .900 save percentage and backup goalie Hutton owning a 2.01 GAA with a .943 save percentage.
Vancouver: The Canucks boast balanced scoring with 10 players recording at least one point but note that center Brandon Sutter, who missed most of last season with jaw and leg injuries, has scored the winning goal in each contest. Veteran Ryan Miller was credited with a shutout, as forward Loui Eriksson inadvertently put the puck in his own net against the Flames on Saturday and is expected to be in net on Tuesday.
The pick: Vancouver head coach Willie Desjardins said before the season that he believed his club could surprise people this season. "I think we're solid," said Desjardins. "I think we're a better team than we were last year. But it doesn't really matter what you think. It's what you do on the ice. We just have to prove it. We can't say we're going to be a good team. We have to prove that we can be a good team. Until we do that, people get to pick us there." He's right so far but it's is just two games. However, after winning only three of 34 games in which they trailed after two periods in 2015-16, the Canucks negated a 1-0 deficit in a 2-1 win over Calgary to open the season and then scored four unanswered goals after the Hurricanes built a 3-0 lead on Sunday night. I've had Vancouver in each of its first two wins this season so why jump off this train, now? Vancouver is a 7* play.
St. Louis: The Blues have scored 11 goals in their three wins, with center Paul Stastny leading the way with two goals and four assists. Winger Vladimir Tarasenko has three goals and two assists plus fellow winger Thomas Steen has chipped in a goal and three assists. The Blues have allowed six goals in their three wins, with No. 1 goalie Allen posting a 2.00 GAA and .900 save percentage and backup goalie Hutton owning a 2.01 GAA with a .943 save percentage.
Vancouver: The Canucks boast balanced scoring with 10 players recording at least one point but note that center Brandon Sutter, who missed most of last season with jaw and leg injuries, has scored the winning goal in each contest. Veteran Ryan Miller was credited with a shutout, as forward Loui Eriksson inadvertently put the puck in his own net against the Flames on Saturday and is expected to be in net on Tuesday.
The pick: Vancouver head coach Willie Desjardins said before the season that he believed his club could surprise people this season. "I think we're solid," said Desjardins. "I think we're a better team than we were last year. But it doesn't really matter what you think. It's what you do on the ice. We just have to prove it. We can't say we're going to be a good team. We have to prove that we can be a good team. Until we do that, people get to pick us there." He's right so far but it's is just two games. However, after winning only three of 34 games in which they trailed after two periods in 2015-16, the Canucks negated a 1-0 deficit in a 2-1 win over Calgary to open the season and then scored four unanswered goals after the Hurricanes built a 3-0 lead on Sunday night. I've had Vancouver in each of its first two wins this season so why jump off this train, now? Vancouver is a 7* play.
