Canucks look to cool the red-hot Blues
Posted March 23, 2017 12:41 pm.
Last Updated March 23, 2017 12:51 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
ST. LOUIS, MO. (NEWS 1130) – The Canucks four game road trip continues this evening in St. Louis. The Blues are red hot over the last month with an 8-2 record and three straight wins. Their recent play has pushed them past Nashville in to third in the Central Division. While St. Louis is in the thick of the playoff race, the Canucks are simply playing out the stretch. With just ten games left on the schedule Vancouver is 16-points back of the final playoff spot.
Vancouver’s lineup will have a couple of new wrinkles this evening. Joseph Cramarossa and Jayson Megna are out with injuries. Nikolay Goldobin returns to the lineup after missing the last six games with the flu. He’ll be on a line with Brandon Sutter and Jack Skille. During his sickness the youngster lost 15-pounds and has been trying to regain his strength since. He says he is ready to go tonight.
“I missed a lot of games and I am excited to be back. I feel way better than ten days ago. It is going to be a fast game. I have to work hard and do the simple things and it will help me.”
.@NG078, who will skate on a line with Sutter and Skille, feels much better and is excited to return to the #Canucks lineup. pic.twitter.com/e6MO2x7rPk
— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) March 23, 2017
Alex Biega will play as a forward again this evening on a line with Drew Shore and Joseph Labate. He says he is getting more and more comfortable at the position. “I’ve played a bunch of games up front this year. For the most part I need to bring energy and establish a forecheck. I need to be someone who is a tough guy to play against and I need to make it a tough night for their defence.”
Alex Biega says he enjoys the physical nature of facing teams in playoff positions & discusses the change in mentality when playing forward. pic.twitter.com/KJneW8xbMS
— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) March 23, 2017
Ryan Miller gets the start in net. Jake Allen will start for the Blues trying to improve on his sizzling 6-1 record in March.
It is the third and final meeting of the season between the two clubs. Vancouver won the opening game, while St. Louis secured a victory on home ice in February.
The puck drops at 5 p.m. and you can watch the game on Sportsnet.