Huge game on hand on Monday with two teams tied in points looking to gain ground in Western Conference wild card chase; Blues put four-game winning streak on line, have defeated Sharks twice in March, both games in overtime
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The Blues going for five straight and have thrust themselves right back into this playoff race.
The Blues going for five straight and have thrust themselves right back into this playoff race.
they open a four-game road trip against the San Jose Sharks at nine o’clock on Monday night.
they open a four-game road trip against the San Jose Sharks at nine o’clock on Monday night.
Blues and Sharks are tied in points with seventy-three.
Blues and Sharks are tied in points with seventy-three.
The Sharks do have a game in hand.
The Sharks do have a game in hand.
It’ll be the third matchup this month between the two teams.
It’ll be the third matchup this month between the two teams.
The Blues have taken the previous two, winning both in overtime, March the 6th in San Jose, winning three to two, and winning last Thursday on home ice two to one, also in overtime.
The Blues have taken the previous two, winning both in overtime, March the 6th in San Jose, winning three to two, and winning last Thursday on home ice two to one, also in overtime.
man, it is a compacted race for that second wild card in the Western Conference.
man, it is a compacted race for that second wild card in the Western Conference.
Nashville currently the placeholders, but they, the Predators have lost three in a row.
Nashville currently the placeholders, but they, the Predators have lost three in a row.
They have seventy-seven points.
They have seventy-seven points.
Blues and Sharks are four points back.
Blues and Sharks are four points back.
So somebody by the end of the night here is gonna be two points behind in that– for that final wild card spot.
So somebody by the end of the night here is gonna be two points behind in that– for that final wild card spot.
But there’s multiple layers here of teams to jump over.
But there’s multiple layers here of teams to jump over.
The Kings are at seventy-six, Seattle’s at seventy-five, Winnipeg at seventy-four, and then you got the Blues and the Sharks at seventy-three.
The Kings are at seventy-six, Seattle’s at seventy-five, Winnipeg at seventy-four, and then you got the Blues and the Sharks at seventy-three.
So buckle up, it’s gonna be a wild ride here, for the finish.
So buckle up, it’s gonna be a wild ride here, for the finish.
The Blues have ten games remaining.
The Blues have ten games remaining.
San Jose has eleven.
San Jose has eleven.
The Predators have eight.
The Predators have eight.
So the games in hand are gonna be really important here for the Blues, and some head-to-head match-ups this week, not only tonight, but also Wednesday against the Los Angeles Kings.
So the games in hand are gonna be really important here for the Blues, and some head-to-head match-ups this week, not only tonight, but also Wednesday against the Los Angeles Kings.
That’s gonna go a long way in determining whether this team is really gonna do this again for the second year in a row and make a, a mad push at the end and get in, or are they gonna become that lottery pick team that really we’ve been talking about for the majority of this season.
That’s gonna go a long way in determining whether this team is really gonna do this again for the second year in a row and make a, a mad push at the end and get in, or are they gonna become that lottery pick team that really we’ve been talking about for the majority of this season.
But nonetheless, they’ve turned March into a gauntlet here and really have made this interesting.
But nonetheless, they’ve turned March into a gauntlet here and really have made this interesting.
Ten, one and two in the month of March.
Ten, one and two in the month of March.
They are eleven, two and two since the Olympic break.
They are eleven, two and two since the Olympic break.
And what has really led to the surge is the commitment to playing defense and their goaltending, quite frankly.
And what has really led to the surge is the commitment to playing defense and their goaltending, quite frankly.
They’re number one in goals against average since the Olympics and in the month of March.
They’re number one in goals against average since the Olympics and in the month of March.
Also number one, believe it or not, for the majority of the year, the Blues going into the Olympic break were twenty-ninth on the penalty kill.
Also number one, believe it or not, for the majority of the year, the Blues going into the Olympic break were twenty-ninth on the penalty kill.
Since the Olympic break, they are number one on the penalty kill.
Since the Olympic break, they are number one on the penalty kill.
Quite remarkable.
Quite remarkable.
again, puck drop at nine o’clock.
again, puck drop at nine o’clock.
No lineup changes from Saturday.
No lineup changes from Saturday.
That’s not really a surprise.
That’s not really a surprise.
I asked Jim Montgomery this on Sunday about those guys that are on the outside looking in.
I asked Jim Montgomery this on Sunday about those guys that are on the outside looking in.
Take a look at his answer down below.
Take a look at his answer down below.
and it’s quite frankly the right answer.
and it’s quite frankly the right answer.
I mean, it’s the NHL.
I mean, it’s the NHL.
You’re winning hockey games.
You’re winning hockey games.
You don’t really wanna change anything that’s going right.
You don’t really wanna change anything that’s going right.
The game on Saturday is about as well as a game as the Blues have played in a long time, and they’ve, and they’ve played a lot of good games here lately.
The game on Saturday is about as well as a game as the Blues have played in a long time, and they’ve, and they’ve played a lot of good games here lately.
Joel Hofer will get the starting goal tonight against the Sharks.
Joel Hofer will get the starting goal tonight against the Sharks.
it looks like Yaroslav Askarov will go for San Jose.
it looks like Yaroslav Askarov will go for San Jose.
He was injured in that game on Thursday in St. Louis and was pulled from that game.
He was injured in that game on Thursday in St. Louis and was pulled from that game.
Alex Nedeljkovic finished the game.
Alex Nedeljkovic finished the game.
he looks like will be the backup tonight with Yaroslav Askarov getting the start for the Sharks.
he looks like will be the backup tonight with Yaroslav Askarov getting the start for the Sharks.
Should be a good one with the puck drop at nine o’clock.
Should be a good one with the puck drop at nine o’clock.