Huge games ahead for Blues

By Jim den Hollander

Last year, it seemed strange to see so many new teams in the post season and so many teams that followed up a successful season prior with no admission to the playoff dance.

That was nothing.

There is simply no way anyone could predict a crazy season like this one. What kind of look would you have given a person who predicted last September the expansion Vegas Golden Knights would not only make the playoffs, but be among the league’s first teams to punch its ticket? That the Chicago BlackHawks would go from the penthouse to the basement in the Central Division while the Blues would be sitting on the outside, looking in with three days remaining in the regular season (four if you include the make up game for the Bruins and Panthers on Sunday).

Two years ago, all five Midwest-based NHL teams reached the post season. That number fell to four last season as the Wings missed the playoffs for the first time in a quarter century.

They will miss again in the spring of 2018 with the BlackHawks and as of this moment, the Blues joining them on the sidelines.

The Hawks, just three seasons removed from a third Stanley Cup in five years an talk of qualifying as an NHL dynasty will wrap up this season, last in the Central, but get an added incentive Friday night as it hosts the Blues with a shot at forcing that team to the golf course with it.

Despite a recent six game winning streak and seven game points streak, the Blues remain one point behind the Colorado Avalanche – a team that has nearly doubled its points from the previous season.

Following the Friday game in Chicago, the Blues are hoping for a final game showdown with the same Avs on Saturday. If the Avs defeat the San Jose Sharks tonight (Thursday April 5), it will force the Hawks into a do-or-die situation in Chicago the following night.

While the winning streak was nice, the Blues fell back to earth last weekend, dropping a 4-3 overtime decision to the Knights in Vegas on Friday and then getting walloped 6-0 at Arizona against the last place, but suddenly surging Coyotes.

That funk continued through the week as the Blues dropped both of its final two home games of the season 4-2 against the Washington Capitals on Monday and 4-3 against the Hawks on Wednesday. In the second game, the Blues owned a 3-1 lead early in the third, but failed to hit the twine in the final 36 minutes while the Hawks rallied back to tie it in the middle period and put it away with two unanswered third period goals. The finale was a powerplay goal by Duncan Keith with just under nine seconds to go.

The news is not all bad for the Blues if you consider the Nashville Predators qualified in the final wildcard spot a year ago and took advantage of that opportunity, upsetting the division leading Hawks in four straight on its way to a Stanley Cup berth. Also, a somewhat recent memory has the Flyers going to a shootout in the final game of the season to defeat and eliminate the New York Rangers for the final spot in the playoffs. They also converted that into a Stanley Cup run.

While the team has had its ups and downs this season, there are several players that have done their job and more. The trade for Brayden Schenn has paid off in a big way as he has found a spot on the top line with Vladimir Tarasenko and Jaden Schwartz and leads the team in scoring with 67 points (27g, 40a) so far. Tarasenko is one point behind (33g, 33a) and Schwartz sits third overall with 56 points (22g, 34a) despite missing several games.

The defense is among the best in the league and the goalending – shared by Jake Allen and Carter Hutton has been inconsistent, but mostly ok.

If the Blues can turn things around on the final weekend, it could the start of something big.