The Blues have had a few bad starts to start the season, and another bad start has resulted in a loss, as the Blues fall to 2-3-1 on the season.
Chris Higgins scored less than a minute into the game on rebound to give the Canucks a 1-0 lead. The Blues were sloppy in the first period and were losing battles all over the ice.
The Blues looked better in the second period, and it showed, as Kevin Shattenkirk scored high blocker on a power play to tie the game at one before the end of the second period. The Blues were battling more and winning more puck battles. They also started funneling pucks towards the net more, but Miller was seeing pucks well and kept the game close.
The third period was all Blues, dominating puck control, and completely out-shooting the Canucks. Shots were 12-to-3 for the Blues at one point, but the Canucks scored on two of the first three shots in the period, one by Nick Bonino, the other by Linden Vey. Jake Allen will want the Bonino goal back, as he was beat cleanly blocker side. The Vey goal came on the power play and it was poor defensive coverage that left Vey alone in front to fire a goal five-hole on Allen.
Jannik Hansen scored on the empty net to give the Canucks a 4-1 lead. This would stand to be the final.
Slow Starts For Many
Looking at the first six games of the season, there have been many players who've stood out as players looking fit and ready to go, Vladimir Tarasenko, Jaden Schwartz, Kevin Shattenkirk, and Jori Lehtera have been a few of those players.
Unfortunately, there have been many players who've struggled to start the season. Alex Pietrangelo hasn't looked like himself to start the year. He's made way to many defensive gaffs, and has gotten caught standing still to often than not. While he does have a goal and an assists in the first six games of the year, his defensive play has left a lot to be desired. He needs to get back to moving his feet and making the smart, simple play in the defensive end.
Jay Bouwmeester has been another defensemen who's struggled to start the year. He's yet to record a point this season, and has been turning the puck over a lot more than usual. It's worrisome that the Blues top two defensemen have started off slow, but the benefit is, we are only six game into the year. They have time to shake off their slow starts.
T.J. Oshie has been one of the forwards who doesn't quite look himself out there either. Usually, when you think of Oshie's style of play, you think of fast, hard, and full of energy. He's been slow, hasn't initiated much contact, and hasn't had the usual jump we see from the energetic forward. We know the flu is currently running through the Blues locker room, but I don't think the flu would have affected Oshie this much for this long. He might be battling injuries, but if he isn't, he needs to get those legs going again to be an effective offensive player.
Patrik Berglund has been disappointing as well to start the year. Zero points in six games, and other than a few scoring chances, he's been more of a liability than an effective top nine forward. He had one strong scoring chance off a turnover tonight, but other than that, the only time he was noticeable was when he was turning the puck over. The Blues just gave Berglund a new three year contract, and they have to be expecting more than what we've seen out of the Swedish forward.
The Blues are set to play Chicago on Saturday, and if they continue to play like they have in the last few games, the result could be much of the same that we've seen already this year.
The Blues are missing the offensive instincts of Paul Stastny, who is still listed as week to week with an upper body injury. The Blues offensive has struggled the last two games, and Stastny would certainly help with that if he was in the line up. It's unknown when he will return to the line up.
The Blues are off tomorrow before getting back at it against the Blackhawks on Saturday.
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