The Vancouver Canucks look to get back on track on home ice against the visiting St. Louis Blues on Tuesday, but they may officially have Thatcher Demko back.
The Canucks’ outstanding 10-2-1 record on the road was marred by a 4-6-3 record at home. Only the Chicago Blackhawks (8) and Utah Hockey Club (10) have fewer home points than the 11 points the Canucks have in Vancouver this season.
The first two of the Canucks’ current six-game homestand reflected the team’s inability to maintain momentum in its own territory. Vancouver beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-2 on Friday, but suffered an injury late in Sunday’s 4-2 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning.
The score was tied at 2-2 at 14:09 of the third period, but a miscommunication resulted in the Canucks being penalized for having too many people on the ice. Jake Guentzel then scored on the power play for the Lightning’s winning goal.
Vancouver went 0-for-3 on the power play, while Tampa Bay went 2-for-4.
Canucks manager Rick Tocchet said, “Special teams won the game. … I thought we’d be fine five-on-five.” “Obviously it’s unfortunate, but we can’t have that many (penalties).”
Demko’s impending return from a lingering knee injury could spark momentum for the Canucks. Demko hasn’t played since the Canucks’ first game of the Stanley Cup Playoffs in late April, but the goaltender has been backup to Kevin Lankinen in Vancouver’s past two games and hasn’t seen any ice time.
Rather than have Demko play against the high-scoring Lightning or the Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers on Thursday, Tocchet and his staff have placed Demko against a more limited St. Louis offense during those games. He may be thinking of letting her come back to reassure her. The Blues rank near the bottom of the NHL in both goals (72) and shots allowed (26.9) per game.
St. Louis had won five straight games (4-0-1) before Saturday’s 4-2 road loss to the Edmonton Oilers. It was the Blues’ first loss in regulation since Jim Montgomery took over as the team’s coach.
St. Louis, trailing 3-0 after two periods against the Oilers, made it a 3-2 game at 13:09 of the third period. But just 69 seconds after Jake Nabors scored the Blues’ second goal, Troy Stecher scored, capping a St. Louis rally.
“We played a little too passively in the first two periods,” Blues forward Dylan Holloway said. “In the third period, we kind of had a push and the push was good, but it wasn’t enough and it was a little bit too late.”
Jordan Binnington allowed four goals to the Oilers on just 21 shots as the Blues goaltender continued his inconsistent season. Binnington has an 8-10-2 record with an .897 save percentage in 21 games and is expected to start again on Tuesday.
Red-hot Quinn Hughes leads the Canucks with 32 points (7 goals, 25 assists). Thirteen of those points (three goals, 10 assists) came during the star defenseman’s seven-game point streak.
Holloway has nine points (five goals, four assists) in a six-game point streak. Jordan Kyrou led the Blues with 23 points (9 goals, 14 assists).
–Field level media
