It’ll be tough for the Blues from here on out. They needed to win a game at Vancouver to have a realistic chance in this series, but they lost both.

The Canucks prevailed 3-0 Friday night, scoring a couple of classic playoff goals (Mats Sundin and Alex Burrows) plus an empty netter (Henrik Sedin). Chris Mason played well for the Blues, but not well enough.

Vancouver goaltender Robert Luongo was remarkable, robbing David Backes and Andy McDonald with especially outrageous saves.

McDonald also hit three crossbars in the loss. It was one of those nights.

An inch here, a bounce there and the Blues could have won this game and pulled dead even in this series. They put together offensive flurries in this games, as did the Canucks.

The Blues did a great job on faceoffs in key situations. That helped, but not enough.

The Blues frustration boiled over at the end, when the Blues dropped their gloves and got busy. The game ended with a major fracas.

Such is the nature of playoff hockey.

Spirits are high. Everybody plays hard and most games are decided by a break here or there. Sometimes players lose their temper.

The Blues elevated their play from Game 1 in the series, but Vancouver played better too. The Blues’ best players were mostly their best players in this game — as you would hope — but they just wasn’t good enough.

Vancouver played with more discipline, so the Blues got just four power plays. They didn’t convert any of them, leaving them 1-for-11 for the series.

That is not helpful. That is just one of the many areas the Blues need to improve.

Now the Blues return home down 0-2 in the best-of-seven series. They must win at Scottrade Sunday and Tuesday, then hope that momentum carries them to a breakthrough Friday night in Vancouver.