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St. Louis Blues Playoff Preview: Round 1 vs. Colorado Avalanche

By Haynes Evans

ST. LOUIS, MO - MAY 7: Pat Maroon #7 of the St. Louis Blues celebrates after scoring the game-winning goal in double overtime in Game Seven of the Western Conference Second Round during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Enterprise Center on May 7, 2019 in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images)
ST. LOUIS, MO - MAY 7: Pat Maroon #7 of the St. Louis Blues celebrates after scoring the game-winning goal in double overtime in Game Seven of the Western Conference Second Round during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Enterprise Center on May 7, 2019 in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images) /
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Well, we officially know now who the St. Louis Blues will be playing in the first round of the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs. After wrapping up their 2020-21 regular season with a 7-3 over the Minnesota Wild, the St. Louis Blues finish the year with a 27-20-9 mark for 63 points and will take on the first-place Colorado Avalanche.

This will be no small feat for the Blues as the Avalanche have been one of the most dominating teams in the NHL this season, but the Blues will come in on a hot streak, having won their last three games.

How The Blues and Avalanche Stack Up Against Each Other

In eight matchups against one another this season, St. Louis was 3-5-0 against the Avalanche, earning six points in those eight contests. The two teams’ first meeting came at the start of the season with the Blues taking game one 4-1, and Colorado laying a pounding, 8-0 in game two.

From there the two wouldn’t meet again until April, when Colorado would pick up the next four wins; 3-2, 2-1, 4-3, and 4-2 on April 2nd, 3rd, 14th, and 22nd. St. Louis would respond well though, taking the final two games of the season series with back-to-back dominating wins, 5-3 on April 24th and 4-1 two days later on April 26th.

On paper, the Avalanche have the slight advantage in the goal category as they’re averaging 3.52 goals per game, while the Blues are averaging 2.98 goals per game. Both teams matchup pretty evenly in goals against, with Colorado averaging 2.36 and St. Louis averaging 2.98. The two are also pretty even in power play percentage, but Colorado holds the slight advantage on penalty kill percentage.

What To Expect

Despite who won the regular season series, this playoff matchup is definitely going to be interesting and fun to watch as both teams are coming in ready to give it their all. Each side have been playing hot recently and it’ll be interesting to see who walks away on top at the end of it all. Game 1 will take place in Colorado and on Monday, May 17th, at 9 p.m. CT.

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