Canucks at Blues
The St. Louis Blues have been a different team since Mike Yeo replaced Ken Hitchcock as coach, and they look to continue riding the wave when the road-weary Vancouver Canucks pay them a visit on Thursday. The Blues completed a perfect five-game road trip during which they allowed a total of three goals with a 2-0 victory at Detroit on Wednesday and are 6-1-0 since Yeo took charge.
While Carter Hutton posted his second straight shutout, the rejuvenated Jake Allen is expected back in the crease Thursday as he owns a 4-1-0 record and .953 save percentage this month. The Canucks could be without leading scorer Bo Horvat (foot) for a second straight contest as they complete their six-game road trip. Vancouver fell to 2-3-0 on the trek with Tuesday's 4-0 loss at Pittsburgh, which left it four points out of the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference. This contest and the first part of their upcoming four-game homestand will determine whether the Canucks are sellers or buyers at the March 1 trade deadline.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, Sportsnet, Sportsnet 360 (Vancouver), FSN Midwest (St. Louis)
ABOUT THE CANUCKS (25-26-6): The 21-year-old Horvat, who also tops the club with 17 goals, leads the team with 38 points after notching four in two games before missing Tuesday’s contest. Sven Baertschi (27 points) is out indefinitely with a concussion while Brandon Sutter (26) is questionable for Thursday's game due to a hand injury. Captain Henrik Sedin (minus-20 rating) and twin brother Daniel (minus-13) are headed for their worst season in that category since finishing with a combined minus-5 mark as rookies in 2000-01.
ABOUT THE BLUES (30-22-5): Vladimir Tarasenko has been kept off the scoresheet in each of his last two games but netted three tallies over his previous two contests and leads the team in both goals (26) and points (53). Jaden Schwartz scored into an empty net in the final seconds of Wednesday's win, giving him four points in his last three games. Patrik Berglund did not score against the Red Wings but has been sizzling of late with six goals in as many contests, while rookie Ivan Barbashev scored his second goal in nine games since being recalled from Chicago of the American Hockey League.
OVERTIME
1. St. Louis C Paul Stastny (lower body), who is fifth on the team with 35 points, will miss his third straight game.
2. Vancouver RW Alex Burrows has collected two goals and two assists in his last three contests.
3. The Canucks edged the Blues 2-1 in overtime on Oct. 18 to end a three-game losing streak in the series.