Improved defense adds spark on offense

VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- Although Doug Weight has turned his attention to defense in the playoffs, his reward is the offensive lead in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Weight has a playoff-best seven points -- three goals and four assists -- through five games of St. Louis' first-round series against Vancouver. But his biggest contribution to the Blues' 3-1 lead is shutting down the Canucks' top line.

"It definitely helps to get some offensive production, but really we've just tried to be really responsible defensively," Weight said.

So far it has worked. Weight has teamed up with wings Dallas Drake and Martin Rucinsky, and defenseman Chris Pronger and Barret Jackman, to check top Vancouver forwards Markus Naslund, Brendan Morrison and Todd Bertuzzi.

The Canucks' trio, which combined for 119 goals and 272 points in the regular season, has managed just one goal and three assists in the playoffs. They were even split up at times during a 4-1 loss in Game 4.

At the other end, Weight, Rucinsky and Drake have combined for six goals and nine assists, including the last three goals in the victory Wednesday night. Game 5 in the best-of-seven series is tonight in Vancouver.

"We've been religious in what we're trying to achieve and when we do get a chance fortunately for me my wingers are burying their chances," Weight said.

Now the Blues have a chance to bury the Canucks, who face first-round elimination for the third straight season.

But Naslund isn't conceding the series just yet. Vancouver has rallied from a 3-1 deficit before -- in 1992 against the Winnipeg Jets and in 1994 against the Calgary Flames -- and the Canucks' captain thinks it can happen again.

"I don't get a feeling that anyone has given up," said Naslund, who scored his first goal in Game 4. "We know it's a tough task to come back from 3-1, no doubt about it.

"But if we win here we go back and get another shot at beating them in St. Louis, which I think we can do. Then, hopefully we can finish it off here again. I see the possibilities."

To extend the series, Vancouver will have to produce more offense. After finishing second to Detroit in the regular season with 264 goals, the Canucks have been outscored 14-4 by a Blues team that has dictated all aspects of the game.

St. Louis has used strong back-checking pressure from its forwards to shut down the neutral zone, cut off the passing lanes and eliminate the forechecking that characterized Vancouver's potent regular-season attack.

"The toughest thing for us is not scoring goals," Morrison said. "It's something that we've been doing all season long and to have it completely taken away, completely dry up is frustrating."

Even the Canucks' power play, third in the regular season, has been held to just three goals on 30 chances -- including an 0-for-6 performance in Game 4.

"There's not a lot of room out there five-on-five, and we've got to take advantage of our special teams and we haven't been able to do that to this point," Morrison said. "We have to find a way to provide more offense."

Don't expect the Blues -- who have won all six series in franchise history when taking a 3-1 lead -- to change anything for Game 5.

"We're going to try to do the same things we've been doing," Weight said. "They had a great season and they're not going to lay down. The hardest game is the one to close them out."

Forward Scott Mellanby didn't travel with the team after missing Game 4 with the flu, but could still arrive in time for Game 5. Vancouver defenseman Sami Salo missed the final two periods of Game 4 after being slashed across the wrist by Cory Stillman. Salo didn't practice Thursday and is questionable for Game 5.