The St. Louis Blues only have three more games before the season pauses for the Winter Olympics. On Saturday night, the Blues host the Columbus Blue Jackets in their last home game before the break. The former division rivals square off in downtown St. Louis. Let’s jump into the game preview and key storylines.
Blues’ Gameday Preview: Blues vs. Blue Jackets
This marks the second and final contest between these teams. The Blue Jackets took the first matchup on Nov. 1, 3-2. The Blues are determined to avoid being swept by Columbus for a third consecutive season.
Robert Thomas, Jordan Kyrou, Justin Faulk and Jordan Binnington (The Hockey Writers)
Despite their recent struggles, the Blues lead the all-time series 55-37-3-1.
Recent Game
The Blues won a fun game on Thursday against the Florida Panthers, 5-4. Jimmy Snuggerud scored the game-winning goal with just 7.6 seconds left in the regulation. The win snapped a five-game losing streak and gave the team a season sweep of the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions.
Brayden Schenn – Dalibor Dvorsky – Jimmy Snuggerud
Jake Neighbours – Pavel Buchnevich – Jordan Kyrou
Jonatan Berggren – Nick Bjugstad – Robby Fabbri
Alexey Toropchenko – Oskar Sundqvist – Nathan Walker
Philip Broberg – Colton Parayko
Tyler Tucker – Justin Faulk
Cam Fowler – Logan Mailloux
Joel Hofer/Jordan Binnington
Team Leaders
Thomas is the team’s point leader with 33 and assists with 22. Neighbours has reclaimed the goal leader with 13. Tucker has the most penalty minutes with 56. Lastly, Otto Stenberg, recently sent down to the American Hockey League, leads in plus/minus with a plus-4 rating. Among skaters on the NHL club, Broberg has the best rating with a plus-3.
Between the pipes, Hofer leads in all major categories. He has 12 wins, a 2.82 goals-against average (GAA), and a .899 save percentage (SV%).
Storyline #1 – Buchnevich in the Dot
Buchnevich has spent time as the second-line center. The 30-year-old has spent time at center sporadically in his career, but has primarily been a winger. Head coach Jim Montgomery has returned him to the position, and the forward is succeeding.
Over his last five games, Buchnevich has taken 60 faceoffs, winning 27 — a 45% success rate. For perspective, Claude Giroux leads the league with a 64.7% faceoff win rate this season. In his past five games, Giroux has won 37 of 110 faceoffs for 33%. The numbers show Buchnevich currently owns the better stretch in the dot.
It will be interesting to see if Buchnevich continues that trend Saturday. His offensive numbers have risen lately. Is there a connection? There just might be.
Storyline #2 – Take Advantage of Columbus Fatigue
The Blue Jackets played Friday night against the Chicago Blackhawks. The Blues benefit from an extra day of rest before facing Columbus. The Blue Jackets will likely switch goaltenders and shuffle their lineup, and players in the rotation will feel the toll of back-to-back games.
The Blues must capitalize on this. They’ll ice a rested lineup and can choose their starting goaltender. Hockey is grueling, making it vital to seize any potential edge.
Storyline #3 – More Power Play Goals
Snuggerud’s game-winning goal on Thursday came on the power play. The Blues have enjoyed increased power-play success since Montgomery assumed those duties. The goal resulted from crisp passing and choosing the perfect moment to shoot.
Related: Blues’ Standouts of the Week: Kyrou, Dvorsky, and the Power Play
The Blue Jackets’ penalty kill has sagged, giving the Blues another chance to strike if they draw penalties. The team should repeat Thursday’s successful power-play plan: control possession, show patience, and let it fly when the chance comes.
How to Watch/Listen
The game starts at 6:00 p.m. Central Time, televised on FanDuel Sports Midwest and broadcast on 101 ESPN.
If you are attending, have fun, be safe, and bring home a winner! Make sure to check back with us for more Blues coverage and league-wide content!
