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Blue Jackets, Canucks look to improve defensive schemes

Oct 21, 2008 - 12:28 PM Vancouver (3-3-0) at Columbus (2-3-0), 7:00 pm EDT

COLUMBUS, Ohio (Ticker) -- If the Columbus Blue Jackets intend become a contender, they need to improve their defense. Luckily for them, the Vancouver Canucks have the same problem.

Two clubs that missed out on the playoffs last season, the Canucks and Blue Jackets look to improve their respective defensive schemes when they clash on Tuesday.

Columbus, which allowed just 2.56 goals per game last season, has been dismal on defense thus far.

The Blue Jackets have yielded 14 goals over their past three games, but managed to escape with a 5-3 win over the Nashville Predators on Friday. In the other two games, the San Jose Sharks cruised to a 5-2 victory last Tuesday and Nashville pounded them during a 6-3 rout.

Things haven't been much better for Vancouver, which will wrap up a six-game road trip. The club has surrendered 17 goals over the last four games, going 1-3-0 during that span.

"We haven't played well," Canucks defenseman Mattias Ohlund told the Vancouver Sun. "If you don't have most of your guys playing at their best, and we haven't had that in our three losses, you have no chance in this league."

The Canucks, who have given up eight goals in their last 19 penalty kills, may be without Pavol Demitra (rib), Darcy Hordichuk (knee) and defenseman Sami Salo (groin), all of whom are listed as day-to-day.

Vancouver is 7-3-2 versus Columbus since the start of the 2005-06 season.