Q’s Cuties: Blues @ Canucks | October 26, 2011

Welcome to tonight’s cutie watch!  Tonight, the boys in blue continue their road trip, and start their first trip in Western Canada.  The road trip started with a brief stop in Philadelphia, where the “tired” Blues were expected to flop.  Unfortunately for the well-rested Flyers, the Blues rallied in front of goaltender Brian Elliott and pulled off a 4-2 win.  David Backes was injured in the game, but seems to be doing well.  He has been practicing with the team, and, according to Lou Korac, is expected to play on his “normal” line tonight in Vancouver. Tonight, the team is hoping to continue to overcome their season-opening slump and will be aiming for 3 in a row tonight.  Here’s who my eye will be on tonight:

This Cutie has been criticized for not being a team player in the last game.

TJ Oshie #74:  This cutie may be a fan favorite in St. Louis, but he hasn’t lived up to his offensive expectations so far this season.  Oshie has just 4 points (1 G, 3 A) in his first 8 games this season.  Unfortunately, the Blues haven’t had much offensive presence, and Oshie is tied for 4th on the team for points.  TJ was also benched for the entire second period against the Flyers after what was apparently seen as a careless, individualistic play at the end of the first (Lou Korac “In the Slot”).  Oshie came back in the third, and has seemed to move past being benched.  Look for this cutie to be pushing hard offensively tonight; let’s hope that push is as part of the team, not just for himself.

Canucks Cutie to Watch:  The Canucks and the Blues are meeting for the first time this season.  While the Canucks put on an impressive show last season, their post-cup loss riots will likely be what is remembered most about their 2010-11 season.  The team is currently 4-4-1, and have split their 4 home games (with 1 loss coming in overtime).  While the team hasn’t been dominating on the ice so far this season, they are averaging 3+ goals in the games that they win.  The Blues defense and goaltending will need to continue to get their act together if they want to get a win in Vancouver tonight.  Here’s who my eye will be on:

This Cutie has heart and a smile to match his determination. (via canucks.nhl.com)

David Booth #7, Left Wing: This cutie is a new addition to the Canucks; he was traded to the team on Saturday and has only played one game with his new team.  While Booth hasn’t had an amazing season, he has only one point in his first 7 games, his winning smile and attitude make up for his lack of performance (and has suffered from my “hockey curse” because of that pretty smile!). In a post-trade interview, Booth stated that he holds himself to his “own high expectations” and added that those are higher than anyone else can hold him to.  He added that he knows he “has to do better.”  When asked about being traded to a big hockey market and the new dynamics with the team, he noted that Florida and Vancouver are “polar opposites.”  He explained that the news of being traded was “emotional” since he is leaving the brother he lived with in Florida and that he had “no clue” that he was being traded.  He added that he knows a lot of his new teammates, including Ryan Kesler who he played on team USA with and who he has been skating with since they were both 12 years old, and that “makes the transition easier.”  Look for this cutie tonight on the second line with Ryan Kesler and Chris Higgins, what some are calling the “American Express” line, and looking to make a name for himself on his new team.