The Blues had 12 players make their playoff debuts on Wednesday, including forward Brad Boyes, who scored the team's lone goal. (Getty Images).

No matter how many regular-season games they've played, NHL players haven't really experienced hockey until they've appeared in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Fifteen players made their postseason debuts Wednesday night in Vancouver's 2-1 win over St. Louis in Game 1 of the Western Conference Quarterfinal. A few played like seasoned veterans despite their lack of postseason experience.

Kyle Wellwood, Mason Raymond and Rick Rypien were the Canucks who got their first taste of playoff hockey, and all three had a hand in the victory. Wellwood won seven of 12 faceoffs, Raymond used his speed to draw a penalty while also putting four shots on St. Louis' Chris Mason, while Rypien was credited with three hits.

The Blues had 12 players making their playoff debuts, and some of the newcomers were squeezing their sticks pretty tight in the early going.

"It's good for our guys to learn and they'll find a way as a whole here to get the job done," said 37-year-old St. Louis forward Keith Tkachuk, who has 86 playoff games under his belt, more than anyone on either team (Canucks center Mats Sundin is next with 83).

Of all the first-timers, Brad Boyes had the biggest impact for the Blues -- he scored St. Louis' lone goal for the second straight game; newbie Alex Steen picked up an assist.

The Canucks held a significant edge in playoff experience coming into the series with the players on Vancouver's roster having played a total of 522 postseason games, compared to only 354 for the Blues.

Blues center Andy McDonald, who won a Stanley Cup ring with Anaheim two years ago, feels his team will be better now that everyone has experienced the playoff atmosphere.

"We're certainly not happy losing," he said, "but we did some positive things and we're going to get better because that certainly wasn't our best hockey."