Vancouver Canucks vs. St. Louis Blues Pick Center

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TOTAL

Vancouver Canucks

+130

+1.5
(-255)

O 5
(-135)

St. Louis Blues

-150

-1.5
(+210)

U 5
(+115)

NHL

FINAL (3/30/2015)

Time: 08:00 P.M. EST Venue: Scottrade Center The Vancouver Canucks are stumbling as they attempt to solidify their hold on an advantageous spot in the standings. The St. Louis Blues have fared even worse in their pursuit of home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs and would appear to face a considerable challenge Monday night given their recent woes against Vancouver. The Canucks (43-27-5) have dropped their past two games after winning seven of their prior nine, and couldn't take advantage of a late tying goal in Saturday's 4-3 overtime loss to Dallas. Vancouver blew a one-goal lead in the third period but Radim Vrbata helped salvage a point with a power play-goal with 1:12 remaining in regulation. The result denied the Canucks a chance to add to a slim lead on second place in the Pacific Division. Vancouver will seek its first four-game road win streak in two seasons in Monday's opener to four-game trip against Central Division opponents." It's a big challenge that we've got ahead with Chicago, Nashville and St. Louis," coach Willie Desjardins said. "You can play good hockey in their buildings and not win. We've got to play well and hopefully we'll get something." Vancouver will also try for a sixth consecutive win over the Blues (46-22-7) and a fourth in the last five visits to St. Louis. The Canucks took a 4-1 victory in their most recent game at the Scottrade Center on Oct. 23 and came away with two points in a wild matchup in Vancouver on March 1. The Canucks blew a three-goal lead in the final 12 minutes of regulation but registered a 6-5 shootout victory by scoring on all three attempts in the extra session. This time, they'll face a Blues team that's 1-2-2 in its last five and has lost four of six at home. Alexander Steen provided his team's latest win with an overtime goal in Pittsburgh on Tuesday but St. Louis lost its second-leading scorer in the first period of Saturday's 4-2 loss to Columbus. Steen suffered a lower-body injury when he collided with a Blue Jackets player, and his status is unknown for this game. T. J. Oshie is also uncertain to play after sitting out the opener to a three-game homestand with an illness. He assisted on two of the three goals in the Blues' comeback in Vancouver earlier this month and finished with three." It was obviously two really big pieces that did not play," forward Patrik Berglund said. "We sure do need them every night so hopefully they'll be OK and back soon." The Blues won't get to face former goaltender Ryan Miller, who stymied them in St. Louis in October, and he'll reportedly remain out until the playoffs with a sprained knee. With Vancouver playing on back-to-back nights, it's unclear if Eddie Lack or Jacob Markstrom will be in net. It could be Lack, who is 4-0-0 with a 1.92 goals-against average all-time versus St. Louis despite starting the shootout win earlier this month. Brian Elliott is expected to carry much of the goaltending load for the Blues the rest of the way. He's 1-2-0 with a 1.58 GAA in his last four appearances against Vancouver. Elliott played just 6:14 in the latest matchup after replacing Jake Allen and was pulled himself after giving up Nick Bonino's goal in the third period. Bonino has four goals and five assists in his last seven games against the Blues, and his teams have gone 7-0-0 in those matchups.