|
The Blues’ game with Vancouver on Thursday night offered a look at the team’s goaltenders past and future. Starting for the Canucks was Ryan Miller, who joined the Blues at the trade deadline and was hoped to be the missing piece in assembling a Stanley Cup winner. (It didn’t work out that way.) |
Starting for the Blues was Jake Allen, who right now is Brian Elliott’s understudy but is envisioned one day as being the team’s top netminder.
In the present, the edge went to Miller, who saw plenty of shots in the third period but made the saves that made the difference as the Canucks beat the Blues 4-1 at Scottrade Center. Both goalies had strong nights, but it was Miller who got the win, stopping all 15 shots he faced in the third period while the Canucks managed just four shots in the third period but scored on three of them.
Nick Bonino put the Canucks ahead with 15:06 to go and then a power play goal by Linden Vey provided the insurance. The Blues took Allen out with 3 { minutes to play and gave up an empty-net goal to Jannik Hansen a few seconds later from the other end of the ice.
Hitchcock wanted to get Allen in a regular rhythm of playing, and the Blues defense made sure he got sufficient work in tough situations in the first period. The Canucks had a couple of odd-man rushes thanks to Blues giveaways, and the first was the worst. Alex Pietrangelo lost the puck near center along the boards, and Alexandre Burrows bore in on Allen. He made the save, but the rebound came off to Chris Higgins on the opposite side and he easily put it in for a goal just 41 seconds into the game. It was the quickest goal the Blues have allowed this season.