When: Friday, Aug. 21 at 8:45 p.m. CT Where: Rogers Place in Edmonton, AB Watch: FOX Sports GO, FOX Sports Midwest, NBCSN Listen: 101 ESPN, NHL App
Vancouver leads the best-of-7 series, 3-2
The St. Louis Blues have been here before.
Last season, in their second-round series with the Dallas Stars, the Blues found themselves down 3-2 in the best-of-7 series entering Game 6. They staved off elimination with a convincing 4-1 win over the Stars (if you need a refresher, Colton Parayko's blast stung goalie Ben Bishop, and Sammy Blais' shot chased Bishop from the net for good just moments later). And who could forget the Game 7 that followed, where a hometown hero was born when Pat Maroon sent the Blues to the Western Conference Final?
So the Blues, who must win Friday to keep their season alive, have been here before - relatively recently. And they aren't lacking in confidence.
"We know how to win these games and how to play them," Blues Head Coach Craig Berube said. "We've just got to go play our game. It doesn't change game to game. We get pucks deep and we go to work, and we grind teams down. That's what we've got to do."
Berube confident entering Game 6
The Blues were leading 3-1 in the second period of Game 5, but a lapse in the latter half of the period resulted in three goals for the Canucks, who had a 4-3 lead after 40 minutes and held on for the victory.
"You've got to play for 60 minutes, and we didn't do that tonight and we lost the game because of it," Berube said.
"They played well tonight," Brayden Schenn said of the Canucks after Game 5. "I don't think you saw our best game 5-on-5 tonight. We were a little relaxed at times, we weren't a five-man group, we weren't supporting each other and winning enough battles or being hard enough in our D-zone. The way we play and the way we win hockey games is defense first. I'm sure you'll see that in Game 6."
Blues ahead of Game 6 vs. VAN
NOTABLE QUOTE
"I think we've just got to use our experience from last year. We've been in this position. It's frustrating, but we've got a resilient group and guys have been here before, so we'll be ready for that next game. That's all we're worried about." - Jaden Schwartz, on entering Game 6.
LINEUP DECISIONS
Berube said Thursday he had not yet made a decision on a starting goaltender for Game 6.
Carl Gunnarsson did not play in Game 5 after being declared unfit to play. His status for Game 6 is unknown.
Berube said he doesn't think Alexander Steen will be ready to play in Game 6.
