Canucks recall Higgins, face the Blues at Rogers Arena
Posted March 19, 2016 10:57 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – Twelve games left in the regular season for the Vancouver Canucks following Friday’s loss to the Oilers in Edmonton. Saturday’s matchup sees the St. Louis Blues in town at Rogers Arena. The weekend did not begin well for the Canucks in Alberta, as 40 shots yielded nothing on the scoreboard against the Oilers. Vancouver continues to struggle offensively, while the goose egg was the team’s sixth this season.
As for the Blues, they enter Saturday’s contest in a minor slump, with consecutive losses. Ken Hitchcock’s group has also not performed well in either of those two defeats to the other western Canadian cellar dwellers – losses to the Flames and Oilers while allowing 13 goals against.
Speaking of goals – that’s something the Canucks have struggled to generate this season. Vancouver has scored 163 goals, leaving them just four clear of the New Jersey Devils and Toronto Maple Leafs for last in the league. The one goal the team appeared to score in Edmonton was called off after a lengthy review, summing up the team’s struggles in that department.
With the injuries and lack of punch up front, the Canucks have recalled veteran forward Chris Higgins. Higgins appeared in 22 games with the Utica Comets, piling up 9 goals and 13 points. Higgins was placed on waivers earlier in the year after the team publicly announced they were looking for trade partners for the veteran winger.
Vladimir Tarasenko remains the top draw for the Blues. Tarasenko has put up 33 goals and 62 points in 70 games this season, and with one more goal, would reach 100 for his career.
