| When Vancouver and St. Louis Blues | St. Louis tangle in the NHL’s opening playoff round this week, NHL fans will get a chance to see two of the hottest teams in the league right now. St. Louis posted the best second-half record in the NHL, going 25-9-7, despite being without star forward Paul Kariya. However, Vancouver is riding the hot goaltending of Roberto Luongo, and lost only 8 games in regulation since the All-Star break. This series is one of the most intriguing of all the first round matchups, and will certainly have fans on the edge of their seats. > |
Offense: Vancouver’s offense is headlined by the talented Sedin twins, who work together better than any other pair of players in the entire league. Both players have 82 points as part of the Canucks’ top line, while veterans Mats Sundin and Pavol Demitra have picked up the slack on the second line. The Canucks have not had more than a one line offense since before the lockout, and it could prove to be the final piece they have needed to succeed. It’s hard to read the Blues’ offensive abilities, since they have lost so many of their players to injury at various points in the season. Brad Boyes had a breakout season, scoring 72 points. However, the next top scorer behind him is David Backes, who has a respectable 54 points, but also leads the team with 165 penalty minutes. Rookie TJ Oshie has been turning heads with his offensive ability and gritty play, but with Kariya’s status still unknown, the Canucks boast a more balanced and lethal offense.
Advantage: Vancouver
Defense: If Erik Johnson hadn’t been lost for the season before ever playing a game, this discussion would be much different. However, without Johnson, the Blues still played excellent team defense, and finished with the 12th ranked defense, allowing 2.77 goals a game. However, Vancouver’s defense is well stocked with veteran defensemen, many of whom have been playing together for a number of seasons. Mattias Ohlund, despite his age (32), played in all 82 games, finishing with a +14 rating. The rest of the Canucks’ regular defensive starters all have positive +/- ratings, with the exception of Kevin Bieksa, who made up for his -4 rating with 43 points.
Advantage: Vancouver
Goaltending: With no discredit being meant towards Chris Mason, who’s 2.41 GAA ranks him 9th in the NHL, Roberto Luongo is arguably the best goalie in the game today. Luongo won 33 games this season, posting a 2.34 GAA and 9 shutouts. During a short stint in which he was injured, the Canucks stumbled hard, losing 15 of 24 games in which Luongo did not play. Luongo’s career has not allowed him many opportunities to showcase his talent in the postseason, but this is his chance to shine when it counts.
Advantage: Vancouver
Special Teams: This is one area St. Louis appears to have a clear cut advantage. Their penalty kill ranks 3rd in the NHL, and allowed only 58 goals out of 357 opportunities. Vancouver’s 16th ranked powerplay will need to be at the top of its game to perform against the Blues’ PK unit. On the flip side, the Blues scored on over 20% of their powerplay opportunities, while the Canucks rank a mediocre 16th in penalty killing. This could be an area in which the Blues will have to capitalize in order to win the series.
Advantage: St. Louis
Overall, Vancouver should take the series. However, St. Louis is one of the hottest teams in the league right now, and should look to carry that momentum into the postseason. The ultimate question will come down to goaltending. If either Luongo or Mason cracks under the pressure, their teammates will be making early reservations at the country club. Luongo is the better tested veteran, and should be ready for this series. Vancouver in 7
