Blues drop first game back from All-Star Break 3-1 against Canucks

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — J.T. Miller scored twice in the second period to help the Vancouver Canucks rally from an early deficit to beat the St. Louis Blues 3-1 Monday night.

Bo Horvat also scored as the Canucks won their ninth straight at home, and 12 in the last 15 overall. Jake Virtanen and Chris Tanev each had two assists. Thatcher Demko, making his second straight start, and fourth in the last 20 games, stopped 36 shots.

Zach Sanford scored for the Blues, who have lost three straight (0-2-1). Jake Allen made 22 saves.

The defending Stanley Cup champion Blues lead the Western Conference with 68 points.

With the Blues pushing for the tying goal in the third, Demko made a huge left pad save on Jaden Schwartz. He later blocked Sanford on the short side.

Miller’s first goal tied the score 1-1 at 2:16 of the second. Virtanen won a puck battle along the boards, then passed to Tanev, who fed an open Miller in the slot for a low, hard shot.

Vancouver went ahead 2-1 at 11:12 on a 3-on-1 break. Elias Pettersson carried the puck into the St. Louis zone, passed it to Virtanen, who then sent it to Miller for a shot from the faceoff circle.

The Blues took advantage of a turnover to open the scoring at 3:06 of the first after rookie defenseman Quinn Hughes coughed up the puck in his own zone. David Perron took it, swooped behind the net, then passed to Sanford who scored his fifth of the season.

Vancouver had a couple of good chances to tie it. Horvat forced a turnover, then had a breakaway but was stopped by Allen. Virtanen had the crowd buzzing after ringing a shot off the post.

NOTES: The Rogers Arena crowd gave a standing ovation and players banged their sticks on the ice during a play stoppage in the first period to honor former NBA star Kobe Bryant who died along with eight others in a helicopter crash Sunday. ... The Canucks’ Antoine Roussel played in his 500th NHL game. ... There were 18 scouts in attendance. ... With Hughes appearing in the NHL All-Star Game, the Canucks become the first team in the expansion era to have a rookie in three consecutive All-Star Games. ... D Colton Parayko returned to the St. Louis lineup after missing seven games with an upper-body injury. ... The Blues announced Monday they have waived F Troy Brouwer, who had one goal in 10 games.

UP NEXT

Blues: At Calgary on Tuesday night.

Canucks: At San Jose on Wednesday night to open a five-game trip.

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