Vancouver-canucks vs St. Louis Blues Picks and Predictions December 10th 2024

Canucks Look to Rebound at Home Against Blues as Demko Nears Return

The Vancouver Canucks aim to reverse their home struggles Tuesday night when they host the St. Louis Blues. Vancouver, excelling on the road with a stellar 10-2-1 record, has been unable to replicate that success at Rogers Arena, going 4-6-3 on home ice.

Despite opening their six-game homestand with a promising 5-2 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets, the Canucks faltered in a 4-2 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Sunday. A critical too-many-men penalty late in the third period led to Tampa Bay’s game-winning power-play goal, overshadowing an otherwise competitive performance.

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“Special teams won the game for them. … Five-on-five we were fine,” Canucks coach Rick Tocchet said. “Just obviously unfortunate, can’t have that too-many-men (penalty).”

Thatcher Demko’s Anticipated Return

Goaltender Thatcher Demko may be set to make his long-awaited return to the crease. Sidelined with a lingering knee injury since Vancouver’s playoff opener last April, Demko has served as backup for the past two games but has yet to see action.

With the Canucks set to face the high-powered Florida Panthers later in the week, coach Rick Tocchet could elect to ease Demko back into action against the Blues, who rank near the bottom of the league in goals (72) and shots per game (26.9).

Blues Seek to Regain Momentum

The St. Louis Blues (13-10-2) come into the game following a 4-2 loss to the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday, which snapped a five-game point streak (4-0-1). After trailing 3-0 through two periods, the Blues rallied in the third but fell short.

“We played a little bit too passive in the first two periods,” Blues forward Dylan Holloway said. “Third period we kind of had a push and the push was good, but just not enough, a little too late.”

Jordan Binnington, who has had an up-and-down season with an 8-10-2 record and a .897 save percentage, is expected to start in net for St. Louis.

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Players to Watch

• Quinn Hughes (Canucks): The star defenseman leads Vancouver with 32 points (seven goals, 25 assists) and is riding a seven-game point streak, during which he has contributed 13 points.
• Dylan Holloway (Blues): Holloway has nine points (five goals, four assists) during a six-game point streak and will be key to the Blues’ offense.
• Jordan Kyrou (Blues): St. Louis’ leading scorer with 23 points (nine goals, 14 assists), Kyrou remains a threat in the offensive zone.

What’s at Stake

For the Canucks, a win would help stabilize their position in the Pacific Division standings while bolstering their home record. The return of Demko could be a significant factor in turning around their fortunes at Rogers Arena.

The Blues, meanwhile, are looking to regain momentum and improve their consistency under new head coach Jim Montgomery.

Final Thoughts

Both teams are eager to rebound from recent setbacks, setting the stage for a tightly contested matchup. The Canucks will look to capitalize on Demko’s potential return and Hughes’ dominant play, while the Blues aim to reignite their offense and stay competitive in the Central Division.