Blues 6, Canucks 5 (OT): Spirited third-period rally overshadowed ...

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The Vancouver Canucks needed an alignment Tuesday in St. Louis.

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When the wheels started to come off on the hopeful ride toward a three-game road trip sweep — two second-period goals in 1:28 turned a 3-2 nail biter into a 5-2 Blues advantage — the real grunt work started to avoid hitting the ditch.

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An 8-30-2 record when trailing after 40 minutes doesn’t tell the true tale. Under coach Rick Tocchet, the Canucks have mounted comebacks, and did once again to force overtime, but they would ultimately fall 6-5.

The issue was settled just 21 seconds into the extra session when Quinn Hughes lost an edge. It allowed Brayden Schenn to find Jakob Vrana for the winner and his second goal of the night.

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It spoiled an outing where the Canucks made amends for too many gaffes and got back in the game.

They pulled to within a goal at 5-4 when the building chemistry between Elias Pettersson and Andrei Kuzmenko was once again on display. A face-off play and a give-and-go and nothing but net for Kuzmenko for his 37th goal and second of the night in a spectacular rookie season.

It was also Pettersson’s second helper of the game and extended his career-high point streak to 13 games with 19 points (7-12).

And then with Thatcher Demko pulled, Hughes pulled the trigger with 54 seconds left in regulation for his second goal to ensure the Canucks would salvage at least a point.

However, that just made the earlier mistakes harder to stomach.

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“Our D-zone coverage early wasn’t good,” said Tocchet. “A couple of lines were very loose and we were doing some uncharacteristic things and we played a little light. We weren’t starting on pucks.

“Three games in four nights, that’s where you need your bottom six to really help you in your own zone to win battles. I thought our bottom six were in our end too much.”

But the bad was tempered by the good.

“Hughes was a monster and Miller, too, those guys are playing their asses off for us,” added Tocchet. “They’re leading. Hughes has been assertive in all facets of the game. Just love his compete. Even when it was 5-2, you could see the gleam in his eye and he didn’t think we were out of it.

“A bunch of guys battled hard for us in the third period and I went to three lines. It got us back in the game.”

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In giving up six goals for the first time in 20 games, it was the manner in which many of them were surrendered. And that’s where the constant clamour for consistency and puck management is going to be a common practice refrain.

And this is why:

— A Guillaume Brisebois offensive zone gaffe with a cross-ice pass that was picked off by Alexei Toropchenko. It allowed the winger to speed away and beat Demko to erase a 1-0 deficit.

— The Canucks had two chances to clear a bouncing puck but let it get to Justin Faulk. 2-1.

— Boeser made a bad zone-exit pass to set up Vrana. 3-2.

— With Brisebois screening Demko, Robert Thomas scored on the power play. 4-2.

— Long cross-ice pass springs Pavel Buchnevich with Pettersson in pursuit. 5-2.

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Here’s what we learned as the Canucks fell to 34-34-6:

There was also some good

Quinn Hughes opened scoring with a smart O-zone decision and laser shot. 

Kuzmenko spun into position on the power play to redirect a J.T. Miller offering to make it 2-2. 

Boeser tipped a Hughes power-point shot for his third goal in three games to draw the Canucks to within two goals at 5-3.

Demko made a number of early saves to keep the Blues from building a cushion. He stopped a one-timer by Robert Bortuzzo, and denied Schenn on the short side when a puck bounced out front from the lively boards.

Hughes can pull the trigger

We all know about his club record for defencemen of 66 assists and 72 points— his helpers are two short of the league lead and he’s now second overall in points — but an improving shot is not a second thought.

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Hughes has constantly worked at getting pucks through a maze of legs from the point — at first wrist shots and now more effective slappers — and more are either getting through screens, or being tipped.

However, his sixth goal of the season to open scoring in the first period was a product of pace, playmaking and production. Instead of wheeling away after a foray to start the scoring play, he stayed up high, instead of retreating. It allowed Hughes to be in perfect position when a Boeser rebound found him and he found an open cage from a sharp angle.

“It wasn’t our best, but we found a way to get back in it and give ourselves a chance,” said Hughes. “Some guys in here really don’t want to lose, and you could see them making plays in the third. We’ve just got to play better.”

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Hughes has seven goals and has twice managed eight in a season and is certainly capable of getting to double digits.

Joshua has eventful night

What’s the ceiling for Dakota Joshua?

Is he just a bottom-six plugger and penalty kill option? Or, is there more?

Tocchet believes the big winger hasn’t come near his potential and it showed. Aligned with Pettersson, he made an instant impact. Joshua worked the wall on his first shift for a strip to set up Pettersson.

He then tipped a Pettersson shot on net before being hauled down on a partial break late in the frame that led to Kuzmenko’s 36th goal to make it 2-2.

In the second period, he stripped another puck and got it to Kuzmenko for a chance before establishing position down low and nearly depositing a Hughes rebound with a backhand move.

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However, Joshua also took a lazy offensive-zone penalty that led to a Vrana goal to snap a 2-2 deadlock.

“I didn’t mind him — I thought he had a presence,” said Tocchet. “Even on the 6-on-5 at the end, him just being around the net. He and (Phil) Di Giuseppe are giving us those big-bodied guys and they win some battles for us most nights.”

Tocchet, Berube keep battling

Tocchet and Craig Berube were rough and tough teammates and roommates with the intimidating Philadelphia Flyers.

Imagine being a fly on the wall for those conversations? They were cut from the same competitive cloth as players — and now rival coaches — but the mutual respect remains. It’s what happens when they piled up penalty minutes and plenty of attention.

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Tocchet had a 109-point season and Berube had a 293 penalty minutes campaign.

Their fight now is to get their clubs to the post-season and that can be tougher than dropping the mitts.

“We talk every other day and pick brains,” said Tocchet. “We’re not too scared to talk about feelings and how to play the game and systems. He’s a good Xs and Os guy. No nonsense and gets the most out of a lot of guys.

“It’s a partnership and he has realized he has to include players in decision. But they know at the end of the day who is the boss.”

Said Berube: “This is a good situation for him, He’s got them playing better defensively. They’re more patient and he has brought structure and they’re playing pretty solid hockey.”

bkuzma@postmedia.com

twitter.com/benkuzma

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