Music: {allcanada} St. Louis (12-9-4) at Vancouver (14-7-3)

Saturday, December 4, 2010

{allcanada} St. Louis (12-9-4) at Vancouver (14-7-3)

Game info: 9:00 pm EST Sun Dec 5, 2010
TV: FSMW, RSNP

The Vancouver Canucks are receiving offensive contributions from a number of players. Goaltender Roberto Luongo (notes) is taking care of the defensive end.

The Northwest Division leading-Canucks try to win their fifth in a row Sunday night when they host a St. Louis Blues club that's dropped five straight.

After totaling seven goals during an 0-3-1 skid Nov. 15-21, Vancouver (14-7-3) has outscored its opponents 20-5 during its four-game winning streak. Thirteen Canucks have found the back of the net during the run, led by three goals apiece from Alex Burrows and Mason Raymond (notes) and two from Jeff Tambellini (notes), Mikael Samuelsson (notes) and Daniel Sedin (notes), who is tied with twin brother Henrik for the team lead with 30 points.

While Vancouver is getting production from all of its lines, Luongo has been a constant, turning away 103 of 108 shots while starting each of the four wins. He stopped all 32 shots he faced in Friday's 3-0 victory at Chicago. Luongo's second shutout of the season extended his club record to 26.

"That's what we need from him every night," said forward Tanner Glass (notes), who gave the Canucks their fourth consecutive 1-0 lead with a second-period score.

The slumping Blues (12-9-4) probably wouldn't mind if Canucks coach Alain Vigneault gives Luongo the night off as they finish their two-game weekend in Western Canada. Luongo is 6-1-0 with a 1.84 goals-against average in seven home starts against St. Louis since joining the Canucks in 2006-07.

The Blues, who have dropped seven of eight on the road, make the first of two visits this season to Vancouver following Saturday's 2-1 overtime loss at Edmonton.

St. Louis' last six-game skid was an 0-5-2 slide Dec. 26-Jan. 7, last season.

"They took advantage of their chances," Blues forward Alexander Steen said of the Oilers. "It was a tough one to lose. I thought if we kept going the way that we were, that we were going to get the 'W.' But sometimes it doesn't work out. We have to keep our heads up."

Defenseman Eric Brewer (notes) scored the lone goal for St. Louis. He's scored all four of his goals this season in his last eight games, giving the Blues an unlikely scoring boost with forwards T.J. Oshie (notes) (broken ankle) and David Perron (notes) (concussion) sidelined.

After making 24 saves to help the Blues pick up their first point since a 2-1 shootout win at Nashville on Nov. 24, Jaroslav Halak (notes) could make a third consecutive start.

Halak has won his last two starts versus the Canucks, both while with Montreal.

Backup Ty Conklin (notes) made 31 saves in the Blues' last game in Vancouver, a 3-2 loss Jan. 27 which snapped his personal three-game winning streak at Rogers Arena.

Whoever starts in goal will face the NHL's best power-play unit. Vancouver is converting 26.1 percent of its chances with the man advantage, led by Daniel Sedin's seven power-play goals.

Defenseman Christian Ehrhoff (notes), who scored his third power-play goal of the season Friday, has also been a key part of the Canucks' third-ranked penalty kill, which has stopped 29 of 31 chances over the last eight games.

Ehrhoff scored the game-winner in the Jan. 27 matchup, and also found the back of the net in overtime for a 4-3 victory at St. Louis last Dec. 31.

Henrik Sedin (notes), the league's reigning MVP and scoring champ, has an NHL-best 27 assists, but only three goals - including one in Friday's victory over the Blackhawks. He has failed to register a point in the Blues' last two visits to Vancouver.