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Samuelsson, Canucks begin road trip versus Blues

Feb 14, 2011 - 3:28 PM (Sports Network) - The Canucks' offense was already dangerous before forward Mikael Samuelsson got hot.

The Vancouver forward will look to extend an impressive six-game point streak this evening when his club kicks off a three-game road trip versus the St. Louis Blues at Scottrade Center.

The Canucks have eight players in double digits in goals scored, including a team-best 32 by Ryan Kesler and another 29 from Daniel Sedin. Samuelsson is one of those with 15 goals and six have come over his current point streak. The Swede netted 30 goals last year and also has six assists over his current run.

Samuelsson scored twice in Saturday's 4-2 win over Calgary.

"Pucks [are going] in for me now. I had chances before, didn't bury them," Samuelsson said. "But that's how a season goes, I think. Goes up and down, just have to stay with it."

Alexandre Burrows also scored twice and both Mason Raymond and Manny Malhotra finished with two assists for Vancouver, which has won seven of its last eight and is four points up on Philadelphia for the most in the NHL with 81. The Canucks also lead the Red Wings by seven points for the Western Conference's top seed.

Roberto Luongo won his sixth straight start with 24 saves and is 16-0-5 in his last 21 games since his last regulation loss on Dec. 5, which came versus the Blues. He is 13-9-0 with a 2.35 goals-against average lifetime versus St. Louis.

Though Vancouver played on Saturday without defensemen Alexander Edler, Lee Sweatt, Keith Ballard and Dan Hamhuis, fellow blueliner Sami Salo made his season debut following a recovery from a ruptured Achilles tendon.

Kesler had a goal and Luongo needed to make just 15 saves when the Canucks last visited the Blues on Dec. 20, a 3-1 victory. Vancouver has won three of the last four meetings between the clubs as well as two straight and four of its last six in St. Louis.

The Blues are just 2-4-3 in their last nine games overall and were swept over the weekend in a home-and-home set with the Wild. After a home shootout defeat on Friday, St. Louis dropped a 3-1 decision in Minnesota the next day.

Patrik Berglund netted his third goal in four games, but Jaroslav Halak gave up three goals on 20 shots before being lifted after 28-plus minutes. Ty Conklin made 11 saves the rest of the way.

"We have to understand that success comes from that collective five-man effort," Blues head coach Davis Payne told NHL.com. "This is not the time of year where you can have any guys off."

St. Louis left town a little battered as David Backes was bloodied in a game- ending fight with Minnesota's Clayton Stoner.

The Blues now sit 13th in the West, eight points back of a postseason spot, and will play four of their next five at home. They have dropped six of their last eight at Scottrade Center however.

Halak is 3-2-0 with a 2.22 GAA lifetime when facing Vancouver.