Canucks at Blues Game Preview: Tightening up their play should be first thing on Blues’ to do list

It feels nit-picky to complain about the Blues’ road trip, from which they’re returning 2-1-1. Five out of eight possible points isn’t bad, and no one was expecting a sweep. Besides, it’s still early in the season, and the warning signs from last year didn’t matter in the long run.

All of that’s true, but there are some viable concerns for the team to take a look at - namely sloppy play, last minute goals, and inattention that stems from not being focused for a full 60 minutes. If the Blues tighten up, they leave the Nassau Colosseum with two points, not one. Losses happen, but it’s best to limit them where you can, especially when you hold a 2-0 lead with less than 10 minutes in the 3rd period.

The visiting Canucks roared out of the gate at home, winning all three games in Vancouver after losing game one in Edmonton 3-2 and taking a loss in game two in Calgary 3-0. Their three game homestand included a 8-2 win over Los Angeles and a 5-1 win over Detroit that has hockey fans trying to figure out if the Canucks are actually good this year, or if they’re just good at beating bad teams.

The Blues’ Robert Thomas will be in on the fourth line tonight, taking MacKenzie MacEachern’s place. A fourth line of Sundqvist-Barbashev-Thomas?

I second Chief when he says “is it a fourth line?”

If the Blues sustain pressure against the Canucks I think we’ll be getting the answer to that question about if Vancouver’s good, or just good at beating bad teams.