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Canucks try to bounce back against Blues

Feb 24, 2011 - 4:09 PM (Sports Network) - Inconsistent play could end up costing Vancouver its top spot in the overall NHL standings. It could also be the same thing that keeps St. Louis out of the playoffs.

The hosting Canucks hope to avoid losing two straight games in regulation for the first time in over two months, while the Blues try and avoid a third straight setback in the final regular-season meeting between the clubs.

The Canucks lead the NHL with 85 points, five more than the Red Wings in the Western Conference, and are one up on the Flyers, who host the Islanders tonight as well. Vancouver has alternated wins and losses over its last eight games and is coming off Tuesday's 3-2 setback to Montreal at Rogers Arena.

Henrik Sedin and Mikael Samuelsson tallied for the Canucks, who haven't dropped consecutive games in regulation since Nov. 20-21. They also lost for just the fifth time in regulation at home this season (21-5-5) and have split the first two of a six-game homestand.

Roberto Luongo allowed three goals on 25 shots in the loss, giving up a pair of tallies in a 67-second span in the first period. It was his first setback at home in regulation in 15 games (11-1-3) since a 3-2 loss to the Blues on Dec. 5.

"They were throwing everything at the net and generating a lot of chaos, especially when you look at their second goal," Luongo said. "There's two guys in the crease battling, the puck squirts out and they get another couple of chances after that, that's the way goals are scored in this league, you've got to go to the paint and you've got to make something happen in there."

Vancouver lost despite getting Dan Hamhuis and Keith Ballard back on its depleted blue line. Hamhuis had missed the previous five games with a concussion, while Ballard had sat out six in a row because of a right knee injury.

While Vancouver's struggles have been contained to the past two-plus weeks, St. Louis' stretches back to the start of the 2011 year. The Blues closed out 2010 with a five-game winning streak, but are just 7-11-4 since the start of the new calendar year.

St. Louis dropped its second game in a row following a three-game win streak on Tuesday, a 4-3 setback to Colorado. The game was a makeup from a Feb. 1 postponement and came just three days after a blockbuster trade between the clubs.

The Blues shipped 2006 top overall pick defenseman Erik Johnson and forward Jay McClement to the Avs for winger Chris Stewart and rookie blueliner Kevin Shattenkirk on Saturday. Though Stewart scored twice in the loss to give him three goals in three games with his new club, Johnson had a tie-breaking goal in the third period to spark Colorado to the win.

Patrik Berglund also scored in the loss and has four goals and eight points on a seven-game point streak, while Ty Conklin made 23 saves.

"We certainly had our chances, but there's some sloppy plays that ended up costing us the game," said Blues forward Alexander Steen. "These are two tough games to lose, especially at home."

St. Louis is currently 13th in the Western Conference with 63 points, seven back of a playoff spot, and begins a three-game road trip tonight. The Blues, though, have lost seven of their last 10 as the guest.

The Blues have won two of three over the Canucks this year, including a 3-2 win at Rogers Arena on Dec. 5. However, that victory was just their fifth in the last 18 trips to Vancouver.

Though he is traveling with the team, Blues goaltender Jaroslav Halak will miss his fourth straight game due to hand injury. Conklin could get the start again tonight and is 3-3-0 with a 2.82 goals-against average in his career versus Vancouver.

Cory Schneider is expected to get the call in net tonight for the Canucks and it will be his first ever appearance versus the Blues.