Tonight, the St. Louis Blues look to continue their franchise record-tying 11-game win streak as they clash with the Colorado Avalanche at the Enterprise Center with a chance to set a new franchise record for most consecutive wins in a season. Just months ago, it looked like St Louis was well out of the playoff picture and conversation. Now, they are in a prime position to clinch the top Western Conference wild card spot, ahead of another Central Division rival in Minnesota. The challenge is to top one of the league's best Western teams in the last few seasons.
Superstar centre Robert Thomas notched his 20th goal of the season in the Blues' 5-4 overtime win over Pittsburgh last Thursday, even after St Louis allowed the game tying goal with under 30 seconds remaining. That mark continues Thomas' streak of consecutive 20+ goal regular seasons, something he's now managed in 3 of his 7 NHL seasons, including this season. These numbers have definitely helped the Blues' overall record of 42-28-7, placing them 4th in the Central Division. With just 5 games remaining, the goal is to finish the regular season strong.
Players to watch for tonight's game include Jake Neighbours for the Blues, who had a goal in Thursday's win over Pittsburgh, and, as for Colorado, arguably the best defenseman in the league, Cale Makar, is their player to keep an eye on. Meanwhile, Thomas has reached 70 points for the third time in his career. He is the seventh Blue in franchise history to record at least three seasons of 70+ points alongside Pavol Demitra, Bernie Federko, Brett Hull, Brian Sutter, Vladimir Tarasenko, and Garry Unger. Goaltender Jordan Binnington is expected to be in between the pipes for tonight's game, and he can match another franchise record like the team did, as a win tonight would give him his 10th straight win at the Enterprise Center. Jordan Kyrou is one more Blue to watch, given his sharing of first in the NHL with nine goals since Mar. 15, while Thomas leads the NHL with 16 assists in that span.
Rookie Jimmy Snuggerud, the Minnesota superstar, also picked up his first NHL point in last Thursday's game, nabbing an assist on a goal from Neighbours. Perhaps tonight could see the 20 year old could get his first NHL goal tonight? Snuggy has, after all, posted 24 goals, 27 assists, and 51 points in 40 games this season with the University of Minnesota. And just for consistency, in 2023/24 he had 21 goals and 13 assists for 34 points in 39 games for the Golden Gophers.
As of the current NHL standings, the Blues sit fourth in the Central Division with 91 points, a win ahead of Minnesota and 7 points behind Colorado. In the Western wild card standings, St Louis also leads Minnesota by those same two points and a singular win. They've got a chance to make it a four-point gap ahead of the Wild.