‘The first five minutes of the third period they took it to us and we didn’t have the push back we needed. I didn’t think we were in it.’ — Canucks coach Bruce Boudreau.
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Bruce Boudreau knew the math could add up to trouble Monday.
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The Vancouver Canucks coach didn’t need convincing that the St. Louis Blues possessed the league’s sixth-ranked offense and fourth-rated power play. He knew their 3-6-3 slide, in which they gave up the first goal in nine games, was more of anomaly than a lasting trend.
“First of all, they don’t have a top three or a top six, they have a top nine,” Boudreau said following the morning skate. “That’s going to be very difficult to contain.”
The Blues’ third line had 128 points heading into puck drop, while the second alignment had 155 and the first 120 points. You get the picture. The Canucks countered with their top line having amassed 148 points and the second 129.
More importantly, the Canucks tipped those numbers in their favor by outshooting the Blues 17-9 in the second period, but had nothing to show for it. It contributed to a frustrating 4-1 setback to conclude a 2-1-1 road trip. The Canucks did fire 36 shots, but they didn’t start smart or sharp or make it a hard night for netminder Ville Husso.
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“I just didn’t think we had enough guys playing with a sense of urgency that’s needed at this stage of the season,” Boudreau said post game. “Shoot it on that goalie where he has to make a save. We were hitting him in the chest every shot from great opportunities.
“The first five minutes of the third period they took it to us and we didn’t have the push back we needed. I didn’t think we were in it. Even though we were outshooting them and had a little bit of a territorial edge, I didn’t think we were in it at all.”
The Canucks knew there was going to be a small margin of error in playing their fourth game in six nights. To keep pace in a four-team race for the final wild-card spot, the Canucks couldn’t beat themselves Monday.
And even though they went 3-for-3 on the penalty kill, they were 0-for-2 on the power play and lost ground to Las Vegas, Dallas and Winnipeg in the post-season chase.
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Here’s what we learned as Marco Scandella, David Perron and Vladimir Tarasenko, with a pair including an empty-netter, scored for the Blues while Brad Hunt replied for the Canucks:
SHOTS, SHOTS, SHOTS
The Canucks had the first 11 shots of the second period and ample opportunity to get back in the game after digging a two-goal hole.
When Jaroslav Halak sprawled to deny Pavel Buchnevich on his move across the top of the crease, it was followed by a flurry of shots.
It started with Vasily Podkolzin, who briefly left after blocking a shot that hit his wrist, getting denied at the top of the slot. JT Miller, who took 34 points (12-32) in his last 19 games into Monday’s matchup, was then stopped in tight. His line from him had nine shots in the frame and he would finish with five shots.
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And late in the period, Elias Pettersson worked his way down the wing and his shot got under Husso’s pad but hit the post.
When Tarasenko opened scoring in the opening minute of the third period — getting his own rebound off Halak’s stick that Miller missed on a clearing attempt — the Canucks came back with Hunt’s snap shot off a 3-on-1. Brad Richardson then grazed the post.
“Not a great start and we outplayed them in the second and I kind of set the tone in the third by a missed assignment (third goal) and it’s just not good enough,” said Miller. “We expect a lot out of ourselves and we needed to win today. Every time we lose, it (playoffs) gets harder and harder.
“I definitely have to look in the mirror for myself and I don’t think I brought it today. I was kind of not as engaged as I needed to be for some reason. A little tired but I have to definitely take the onus on myself to lead a little bit better. It’s being mentally tough.
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“There are no easy games and everybody is fighting for something right now. Whoever wants it more is going to win and they had the better start.”
THE GAFFE, THE GOAL
Conor Garland was having a very good first opening period.
The speedy, shifty and creative winger had four shots and five attempts to go with three take-aways. But he also had a costly puck-handling turnover in the offensive zone while attempting to work some of his magic from him amid playoff-style checking to snap a 14-game goal drought.
It resulted in a 2-on-1 break in which Perron easily converted a cross-ice feed by Tarasenko by picking the glove side on Halak. Boudreau wasn’t impressed by the gaffe and Garland sat for a shift.
But to his credit, Garland came right back in the second period and was denied by Husso, who also got Tanner Pearson on the rebound. He had five shots and seven attempts while Garland had five shots, seven attempts, two turnovers and three take-aways.
LOCKWOOD’S BAD LUCK
Recalled rookie winger Will Lockwood nearly opening scoring early in the first period with an impressive dash before ringing a backhander off the post. It was a testament to the work he’s done to improve his overall game.
However, Lockwood also had bad luck on the Blues’ first goal. He hustled in retreat on the backcheck and got to the top of the crease. But when he tried to deny an angle pass by Tarasenko by extending his stick, the puck struck his blade, fluttered up and hit pinching defenseman Scandella.
