In what should be considered the greatest game of the 2024-25 season, the St. Louis Blues won a great back-and-forth battle against the Vancouver Canucks, 4-3 in overtime. There was a little bit of everything in this game, with the various lead changes, quick and ferocious scoring, and an unbelievable finish. This was one for the ages.
Here are some takeaways from the non-stop action, and what happens next for the Blues.
This team is for real
The story of the game was the Western Conference Wild Card race. The Blues and Canucks were tied, neck-and-neck at 75 points a piece for the second wild card spot before the puck dropped. This game was the last chance either of these two teams could get an advantage on the other before the end of the season.
As the Blues did take the two points, and the Canucks still getting one of their own, the Blues now hold sole possession of that second wild card position with a little under a month to go in the season. This team is for real, and they are not an average team anymore.
The Blues have proven since the 4 Nations Face-off break resumed that they are one of the top dogs of the Western Conference. At 10-2-2 in the 14 games since the break, they are one of, if not the, hottest teams in the NHL. Everything seems to finally be clicking, and it could not have come at a better time.
Playoff atmosphere
The atmosphere inside the Enterprise Center mirrored that of the first game of the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. It was loud, energized, and anxious. What a scene it must have been to be inside those doors.
And that was just inside the stands. Turn your eyes to the ice, and these players treated this game as if it were game seven of the Western Conference final. Bodies were checked in full force, tempers flared after each whistle, and the best-of-the-best came out to shine in the biggest stage of the season.
If only the NHL were to allow a third wild card spot, as the idea of these two teams going at it for a seven-game series sounds exciting.
One step closer to the playoffs
With the win, and now sole possession of WC2, the Blues almost control their destiny. Since they still have the easiest schedule in the entirety of the NHL, they hold the cards to their postseason dreams. With each passing game, and seemingly each passing win, they move closer and closer to that reality.
But, don't assume they are automatically in after this win. The Canucks did get one point in the end, so they are still right behind the Blues. The Canucks will have a tougher road then the Blues will toward the end of the season, but it does not rule them out from taking their spot back from the Blues.