Hockey is trending to look like the Vancouver Canucks, with smaller players and more skill, speed and offence.

That didnB次元官网网址檛 stop the big, heavy St. Louis Blues from bruising their way to the Stanley Cup last season and to the top of the Western Conference when the NHL season halted in March.

When Vancouver and defending champion St. Louis meet in the first round, it will be a matchup of opposites. The winner of the series will be the team that can better dictate its preferred method of play, and the Blues have the experience in setting that tone. Game 1 is Wednesday.

B次元官网网址淲e have to establish our physicality right away,B次元官网网址� reigning playoff MVP Ryan OB次元官网网址橰eilly said. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e got to show them that this is going to be a hard series and theyB次元官网网址檙e going to have to earn everything.B次元官网网址�

The Canucks earned their spot in the round of 16 by beating the Minnesota Wild in the best-of-five qualifying round. Now the fifth seed in the deep, unpredictable Western Conference, they can use the experience gleaned from a rough and tumble Minnesota series to measure themselves against the Blues.

B次元官网网址淭he previous series was a good warmup for us, for sure,B次元官网网址� Vancouver coach Travis Green said. B次元官网网址淢innesota defends very well, theyB次元官网网址檝e got a deep set of forwards, and the hockey at this time of the year was very intense. Your body had to get used to it, and I think it was a good test for our group and this will be another one. ThereB次元官网网址檚 no bigger test than playing the team that had just won the Stanley Cup.B次元官网网址�

St. Louis has virtually the same team back from the first title in franchise history. But this group lost all three of its round-robin games to fall to the fourth seed in the West.

Coach Craig Berube wasnB次元官网网址檛 happy with much of what his team did in those tuneup games but noticed a different level of focus now that elimination is possible.

B次元官网网址淭hey know now: YouB次元官网网址檒l go home if you donB次元官网网址檛 play well,B次元官网网址� Berube said. B次元官网网址淚 think that obviously makes you dialed in a little bit more.B次元官网网址�

Vancouver isnB次元官网网址檛 a natural rival, and there havenB次元官网网址檛 been many chances to build up some post-season hatred. The Canucks will be playing in their first best-of-seven playoff series since 2015. Despite that lack of experience, the Canucks are talented enough to put a scare into the Blues if they donB次元官网网址檛 take them seriously.

B次元官网网址淲e definitely donB次元官网网址檛 want to underestimate them,B次元官网网址� St. Louis defenceman Vince Dunn said. B次元官网网址淭hey have great goaltending, too, so from top to bottom theyB次元官网网址檙e lethal defensively and offensively. At any point in time, we canB次元官网网址檛 take our foot off the gas.B次元官网网址�

PETTERSSON VS. OB次元官网网址橰EILLY

Dynamic Canucks forward Elias Pettersson could see a lot of OB次元官网网址橰eilly, one of the best defensive stoppers in the game. Pettersson is excited for the challenge.

B次元官网网址淗eB次元官网网址檚 an elite player, elite scorer,B次元官网网址� OB次元官网网址橰eilly said. B次元官网网址淵ou can see the way he reads the game and the positions he puts himself in, heB次元官网网址檚 always a threat. Playing against that, youB次元官网网址檝e always got to be aware of him and tight to him, make sure, any chance you can, step in his way and just making it difficult on him. B次元官网网址�

PETTERSSON VS. BINNINGTON

Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington said he thought he should have won the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year last season. Pettersson won it and is now trying to downplay any perceived contention with the Cup-winning netminder.

B次元官网网址淏oth of us are trying to play our best every game,B次元官网网址� Pettersson said. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 not up to us who wins the Calder.B次元官网网址�

Binnington didnB次元官网网址檛 get his NHL chance until age 25, and that came midway through the 2018-19 season. Not being called up until January last season likely cost him the award.

B次元官网网址淚 think he doesnB次元官网网址檛 take that personally. I think that just motivates him more,B次元官网网址� Dunn said. B次元官网网址淗e hasnB次元官网网址檛 had the easiest path to get where he is right now, so I think that just helps him motivate himself to want to push himself to be even better this year.B次元官网网址�

D FOR DISCIPLINE

Vancouver took a play-in-round-high 28 penalties, an average of seven a game, and St. Louis committed 15 in its three games. Related: the Blues ranked third on the power play and the Canucks fourth during the regular season.

The lesson? Stay out of the box or pay the price.

B次元官网网址淲e havenB次元官网网址檛 been disciplined yet and going forward here starting in the first game against Vancouver, we need to be a disciplined hockey team,B次元官网网址� Berube said. B次元官网网址淲e can accept taking away a scoring chance or things like that or physicality at times, getting calls for that, but this hooking and tripping and holding and stuff like that, weB次元官网网址檝e got to get rid of those.B次元官网网址�

Stephen Whyno, The Associated Press

Like us on and follow us on .

Want to support local journalism? Make a donation