St. Louis Blues: What If There’s Playoff Play-in Games?

Conference Finals

Blues vs. Golden Knights

*Taken from recap in previous prediction article*
For whatever reason, the Blues can’t seem to not go to overtime against Vegas. In 2018-19, the Blues swept the regular season series 3-0.

Vegas probably should have faced the Blues in the conference final, but that’s another matter. The two seasons on either side of the Cup win, the Golden Knights have gone 2-1-0 against the Blues, but the Blues are 1-0-2.

All their losses against Vegas have happened in overtime. It’s only three seasons, but every single loss to Vegas has been in OT.

So, logic would say the Blues sweep if they can avoid the extra period, right? Well, it doesn’t work that way in the playoffs.

While Vegas strikes the average fan as the superior offensive team, they only have two more goals scored than the Blues at the hiatus. Their defense is quite lacking too having surrendered 211 goals, even though the neutral fan would say they might have an edge in goal.

Vegas’ problem is they’ve driven Marc-Andre Fleury into the ground. He has decent numbers, but the guy has started 48 games. His backup for most of the season only took 19 games off his load. That’s a big reason why they picked up Robin Lehner at the break, to give Fleury a rest down the stretch. Just for the record, the Blues having played Jordan Binnington in 50 games is a worry too, but Binnington is younger and has less of a history of having such a workload to wear him out.

Ultimately, goaltending will probably decide this series. The Blues have enough offense to hand with Vegas, but would rely on their defending, which has not been as stout. Vegas can outscore anyone, but if Fleury is not bailing them out, the Blues could light them up and have – the Blues were ahead in both OT losses in 2020.

Ultimately, though Vegas is a very good team, the Blues experience trumps their depth. St. Louis’ defending does just well enough and the Blues avoid OT to win the series. It will take six, maybe more likely seven games, but the Blues get it done to repeat as conference champions.

Boston vs. Washington

Is Boston the better team? I believe so.

The Capitals took the season series to this point though, winning two and losing one. One game was a 3-2 OT win, one was a 3-2 regulation win. Boston thrashed the Caps 7-3 however.

However, even with that in mind, I think Washington is going to win this series. This could be a classic though.

Both teams are so determined. The Capitals are out to regain their spot at the top of the mountain and show that last season’s first round exit was a fluke.

Boston is trying to go to the final for a second year in a row. They seek redemption for what they feel was a lost series, not a series won by St. Louis.

I really can’t verbalize it. I just have a feeling the Capitals win this series and make it back to the final for the second time in three years.

Boston will not go down without a fight. They’ll push it to seven and the last game will go to the wire, but the Caps claw their way through.