(My Sportsbook) - Not too many clubs had a better finish to the season than the Vancouver Canucks. The St. Louis Blues were one of them.

The two streaking clubs kick off their Western Conference quarterfinals matchup tonight at Vancouver's GM Place.

Vancouver closed out January on an eight-game losing streak, dropped nine in a row at home and put a playoff berth in doubt with a 22-20-8 record. However, a February 3 home win over Carolina ignited a 23-7-2 stretch to finish the season and also sparked what went on to be a franchise-record 11-game home winning streak.

The Canucks have lost just once in regulation at home since January 30, going 13-1-2 over that stretch. That was a big part as to why Vancouver was able to overtake Calgary for the Northwest Division title and the West's third seed.

For the Blues to make the postseason for the first time since 2004, they had to climb out of an even bigger hole. St. Louis at one point in time found itself 15th overall in the West before using an NHL-best 25-9-7 record in the second half to jump into the sixth spot in the conference.

In fact, St. Louis' victory in its final regular-season game vaulted the team from eighth to sixth, helping it avoid a first-round meeting with San Jose.

Both clubs have their goaltenders to thank in part for their strong finishes. Vancouver netminder Roberto Luongo missed 24 games between November 24 and January 13 due to a groin injury, but won 12 of 13 starts from February 3- March 7 on the way to a 33-13-7 season with a 2.34 goals against average and a franchise-record nine shutouts.

Luongo has been to the playoffs once in his career, going 5-7 with a 1.77 GAA in 12 games with Vancouver in 2006-07. He started three of the Canucks' four meetings with the Blues this year, going 2-1-0 with a 2.67 GAA.

St. Louis goaltender Chris Mason was 1-2-0 with a 3.44 GAA in his three starts versus Vancouver in a four-game series that the two clubs split.

Mason became the Blues' undisputed No. 1 goaltender when Manny Legace was assigned to the minors on February 7 and he started each of the Blues' final 33 games. Mason ended with a 27-27-7 record in 57 games with a 2.41 GAA and six shutouts, going 24-8-6 record in his last 38 games. However, he has made just five postseason appearances, going 1-4 with a 3.45 GAA with Nashville.

St. Louis overcame a rash of injuries this season, including long-term ailments to Erik Johnson (right knee), Erik Brewer (back) during the season and Paul Kariya. Kariya skated in just 11 games thanks to left and right hip injuries, though a return in the postseason is possible.

With no Kariya, Brad Boyes led the Blues in goals, assists and points. He had 33 tallies, including 16 on the power play, to go along with 39 helpers and a career-best 72 points. David Backes was the Blues' other 30-goal scorer, notching a career-high 31, to give St. Louis a pair of skaters with at least 30 goals for the first time since 2002-03 when current Canuck Pavol Demitra and Keith Tkachuk turned the trick.

Tkachuk added 25 goals and 49 points in a season for the Blues that saw the 37-year-old reach 1,000 points in his career, just the seventh U.S.-born skater to reach the mark. Tkachuk is a veteran of 85 playoff games -- 37 of them with the Blues -- and has 28 goals and 28 assists in the postseason.

Vancouver's offense was dominated by a pair of 28-year-olds in twin brothers Daniel and Henrik Sedin. The duo both notched a team-best 82 points, with Daniel posting a club-high 31 goals and Henrik leading the way with 60 assists that ranked eighth in the league.

The Canucks have two veterans to help out the brothers in Mats Sundin and Demitra. Sundin, signed by the Canucks in December after holding off on retirement, has 35 goals and 74 points in 83 career playoff games -- most of that with Toronto -- while Demitra owns 20 goals and 30 assists in 77 postseason battles.

Vancouver and St. Louis have met twice in the postseason, with the Canucks winning both series in seven games despite getting outscored 48-44. The Blues haven't played the Canucks in the postseason since a seven-game 2003 conference quarterfinals loss.