The St. Louis Blues are currently riding a two-game losing streak heading into the Enterprise Center tonight. Their opponent, in the second game of a three-game season series, is the Vancouver Canucks. The last time these two teams met was on December 10, and the Blues took the victory, 4-3.
Let's hop right into this one.
Two-game losing streak
The Blues are slipping ever further away from the Calgary Flames and the final wildcard spot in the Western Conference. The Canucks are also fighting for that same spot as well, with an edge on the Blues with 52 points over 50 points. The Flames currently have 55 points.
So it is safe to say that this game is going to be a big one for both teams. Each is fighting for that playoff spot, and it should be expected that tonight's matchup will have all the feeling of a playoff atmosphere.
The Blues desperately need this win, as they are starting to fall behind with a handful of games less than everyone else. This is the 51st game of the season, and the Canucks and Flames are both at 48 games. Each loss is costing them two crucial points.
Tough Test
The Blues are hosting a tough test tonight. The Canucks are a great team, and each team shares a lot in common. Both squads have a D-man with 10+ goals on the year, with Parayk for the Blues ad Hughes for the Canucks. Additionally, they both are similar in goals scored on the year, with the Blues scoring 138 to the Canucks 134.
At home, the Blues have been struggling, which is not a good sign against a great road team in Vancouver. The Canucks are 12-7-4 in opposing barns this year. Look for that to be an x-factor tonight.