Sputtering Blues brace for Game 2
versus Canucks
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[August 14, 2020]
Losing the first game of their
best-of-seven Western Conference first-round series doesn't put the
defending champion St. Louis Blues on the ropes.
However, another defeat at the hands of the upstart Vancouver
Canucks in Friday's Game 2 in Edmonton would have the Blues in a
rough spot.
"We had three games to try and get our pace and we just weren't good
enough," St. Louis forward Brayden Schenn said. "I don't think we
were good enough as a team right from our exhibition game.
"We're going to continue to build here, get better, and try and wear
'em down. That's what the playoff series is all about. We've been in
this situation before. Even all last year, we were down in some
series. They're a good team over there. And we're gonna have to find
a way to be better."
The Blues have dropped all five games -- counting an exhibition
contest -- since resuming action after the COVID-19 pandemic
interrupted the league in March. They were winless in the four-team
round-robin tournament, a surprising development for the squad that
was tops in the Western Conference when the league was paused in
March.
There are myriad reasons for their struggles, among them being
without a complete line of forwards in Ivan Barbashev, Sammy Blais
and Alexander Steen while sniper Vladimir Tarasenko is trying to
find his form following a shoulder injury in October.
A surprising trend has developed since the restart, as St. Louis has
been outscored 9-0 in the third period -- including 3-0 in
Wednesday's 5-2 setback to the Canucks.
"I liked our game (overall)," Blues coach Craig Berube said. "We
made two mistakes in the third period and they both ended up in our
net. I didn't like those mistakes and we have to stop those from
happening."
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Blues center Brayden Schenn (10) screens in front of Vancouver
Canucks goaltender Jacob Markstrom (25) during the second period in
game one of the first round of the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs at
Rogers Place. Mandatory Credit: Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports
Meanwhile, the Canucks are trending in the other direction.
Vancouver has won four straight games and looked stronger in each
outing.
"You want to get up for the big games, you want to be a difference
maker, especially at this time of year," said captain Bo Horvat, who
scored twice in the series opener.
"You're playing the Stanley Cup champs, it's easy to get up for.
These are the games you want to win."
And now the Canucks are bracing for an even more motivated Blues
squad, which twice won series last year despite losing the opening
clash.
"This series is not going to be easy," said Canucks goalie Jacob
Markstrom, who made 29 saves in the opener.
"It's going to be really tough. St. Louis is a great team, and we
have to count on them coming really hungry for Game 2, and we have
to step up our game as well and grow and keep building on what we
started."
--Field Level Media
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