The St. Louis Blues are back in action tonight in a round two rematch of the Stanley Cup Playoffs with the Dallas Stars, and the game will feature plenty of lineup changes to analyze.
The St. Louis Blues had an emotion-filled first game against the Capitals on Thursday, and it won’t get any easier with a game against the Stars tonight though there are still many positives to look at heading into game two.
Brayden Schenn is coming off the heels of a lengthy contract extension, and it will be interesting to see how he responds after earning some extra financial security for the foreseeable future.
Opponents 2019-20 Record
0-1-0
The Stars are coming off a difficult matchup against the defending Eastern Conference champion Bruins on Thursday, but that shouldn’t take away from how dangerous the Stars will be once again in 2020. Dallas had one of the best offseasons after acquiring Joe Pavelski and Corey Perry in free agency. Not to mention the already potent blue line with Miro Heiskanen and John Klingberg, the Stars will challenge the top spot in the division.
Blues All-Time Record vs. Dallas
135-107-43-6
The Blues have had the Stars’ number throughout the franchise’s history. However, it’s the recent history that stands out between these two teams. The two teams are coming off an epic seven-game series in round two of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and it will be fascinating to see how both these teams react all season.
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Players to Watch
Yes, again, it’s the new guy, but this time he is playing with a new defensive partner. Instead of playing with Alex Pietrangelo, Faulk will play on the third pairing with Vince Dunn. This move will put both players on their natural side and should boost the Blues’ ability to get the puck out of the defensive zone and up the ice.
Sanford had every opportunity to grab a top-6 spot in the Blues lineup, but instead, he found himself in the press box watching the game. However, with Robert Thomas hurt, Sanford has another opportunity to make an impact on the ice.
There were times last year when Sanford was paired with Ryan O’Reilly, and David Perron and the three of them played at an elite level and were considered to be the Blues best line. This will be a big game for Sanford, and if he doesn’t play well, he will likely have to wait for another injury to get back into the lineup.
Vince Dunn
Dunn was quiet in the season-opener against the Capitals, but that looks like it is going to change tonight against Dallas. The young defenseman is one of the best players in the league at moving the puck up the ice, and by him playing with Faulk for the first time, the pairing has the potential to be an offensive juggernaut.
If Dunn and Faulk can find success together, it could open up many different avenues that include a potential power play tandem. If we are being realistic, Dunn paired with anyone should excite Blues fans, and a guy like Faulk makes Dunn look like a bonafide top offensive defenseman.
Jason’s Take
Anytime the Blues and Stars play each other, it is must-see television. Even with Thomas out of the game with an injury, there are still so many different lineup changes that will be displayed tonight. Blues fans already know how much of a genius Craig Berube is, and I’ll be watching how each defensive pairing works tonight.