Preview: The St. Louis Blues (23-23-4) need to make some hay in the Western Conference Wild Card race against The Vancouver Canucks (21-17-10). Oskar Sundqvist comes out of the lineup, Nathan Walker is back in, bringing back together the ‘WTF Line’ with Radek Faksa and Alexey Toropchenko, and Mathieu Joseph takes Sundqvist’s spot between Brandon Saad and Zack Bolduc. Philip Broberg plays with Colton Parayko as they try to get him more ice time, Cam Fowler with Justin Faulk, and Ryan Suter will continue to play with Tyler Tucker. With a 2-0 loss to Dallas at Enterprise Center, the Blues are 11-12-1 at home this season, which ranks 27th in the league. Today, the Blues traded Scott Perunovich to the New York Islanders for a conditional fifth-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft It was pretty clear he wasn’t going to get much playing time with the current players available on defense. Jordan Binnington is in the net, and he is opposed by Kevin Lankinen.
Vancouver jumps out to the lead in period 1…
The Canucks break in 2-on-1 and score on the back door pass… their first shot on goal 2:57 in…not the start the Blues wanted. Not much of a chance for Binnington as it took a perfect pass across the front of the net. 1-0 Vancouver.
And off the ensuing faceoff, Brayden Schenn takes on JT Miller and two punches in the Captain takes down his counterpart. Schenn looking to fire his team up. Blues are 6-5 when a fight occurs.
With 13:33 left on the first penalty of the game is called and it’s against the Canucks…Buchnevich drew the penalty off a good scoring chance. Vancouver is ranked 13th on the kill. Blues with good puck possession and get two shots…we remain 1-0.
Halfway through the period…both teams with minimal SOGs 4 to 3 Canucks.
At the 5-minute mark, the Blues seemingly score on a shot from Tucker…referees wave it off for goalie interference and the Blues challenge the call…Holloway does run into the goalie…but he is crosschecked into the goalie…refs rule no goal and the Blues are assessed a minor penalty for delay of game. Canucks to the PP where they rank 16th in the league. 53 seconds in the Canucks tap in a loose puck after a save by Binnington to make it 2 to 0. The challenge proves costly…
The period ends with the Canucks up 2-0 and lead in shots 12 to 4. Shot attempts were lopsided as well, 24 to 11.
Vancouver expands the lead in period 2…
Vancouver continues to have the edge in play and a penalty called against Thomas puts the Canucks back to the powerplay a poor change gives them a breakaway and the shot beats Binnington to the stick side…and it’s 3-0 at 11:34. Their 18th shot. 2 for 2 on the PP. And Binnington is removed for Joel Hofer after three goals on 18 shots…not Binnington’s fault - two goals on breakaways and the third a 2-on-1…hoping for a spark with the change…
The Blues get a powerplay with 10:44 left…need a goal…and they get it with 9:52 on a 92-mile-per-hour one-timer by Dylan Holloway off a pass by Justin Faulk…Holloway’s 16th…Jake Neighbours with the extra assist and a great screen in front. 3 to 1. Snapping a 93-minute goalless streak.
Robert Thomas takes a stick to the face that draws blood…a 4-minute double minor is confirmed after a referee review…with 7:58 left in the period. Cleanup in aisle 2…blood on the ice. The Blues mishandle a clearing pass, and Vancouver gets a breakaway shorthanded and scores, beating Hofer glove side…4-to-1…The Blues only get four shots on the double minor and give up a goal…sad…
While the Blues made up some of the shot difference…22 for Vancouver to 19 for the Blues…the Canucks outscore the Blues by two.
Canucks maintain the 3-goal lead through period 3…
The Blues make it 4 to 2 with 15:38 left .. Colton Parayko goes to the net and flips it across the blue paint and it deflects in off a Canuck player…Parayko’s 11th goal, a new career high, was assisted by Mathieu Joseph who has played aggressively all game.
5 minutes left!! The goalie pulled with 4:28 left…Blues putting the pressure on…but Vancouver can score with a shot from their goal line…5 to 2 Canucks...2:38 left…Hofer is back in net…1:19 left and the Canucks take a penalty…1 for 5 on the powerplay overall for the game…The Blues take a penalty with 15 seconds left…4 on 4 to end it…
Canucks win it 5 to 2…Canucks wanted this one more…Blues now one-game under .500…out shot 30 to 26.
Notes: Winless in their 3-game home stand…poor performance after playing so well in Vegas…Blues have been outscored 10-5 in the last 5 first periods…15 goals by defensemen in the last 15 games, which overall ranks 7th this season…Ryan Sutter is now tied for 23rd in games played, 7th most by a defenseman…