This is Halloween.
The St. Louis Blues exit their five-game home stand with a record of 3-2-0 for six big points. It was a complete roller coaster, with the highest of highs and lowest of lows, but it seems that this team is back on track.
This is going to be a matinee game, with a 12 PM CT puck drop. Plus, it is Halloween, and the vibes are gonna be spooky in a truly disjointed Little Caesars Arena in Detroit.
The Red Wings are going through a massive internal crisis, with both former captain Dylan Larkin and star defenseman Simon Edvinsson sitting out for much and all of the season thus far.
Here are some X-Factors from the Blues in this game to keep an eye out for.
Robert Thomas
We finally got a bit of a breakout from the captain in the most recent 4-1 win over Boston to close out the home-stand. Robert Thomas had a goal and two assists, and things might finally be looking up for No. 18.
The big story here is the lack of Larkin down the middle for Detroit. Both Thomas and the next name on this list should have a much higher chance at making an impact down the middle.
Mason McTavish
The duo of Mason McTavish and Connor McMichael, known as the “McDouble”, has been split up. Both have found a bit of a cold streak, with McTavish’s absence being a bit more apparent.
Over the five-game home-stand, No. 83 only had a single goal, and is currently on a three-game pointless streak. It is crucial for McTavish to get back on track here.
Jimmy Snuggerud
It was Dylan Holloway who was sent away from the first line, not Jimmy Snuggerud. Head coach Jim Montgomery wanted to keep his best goal scorer with his best playmaker, as it has been working all season long.
No. 21 can be a valuable asset in this game, but it will be tough as the Red Wings are ranked 6th in goals given up in the NHL this season. Thankfully, the Blues' power-play has seriously improved with the use of Snuggerud’s snappy one-timer. That can be a key to victory here.
Philip Broberg
The most valuable member of this Blues skater group is Philip Broberg. He joined Thomas with a three-point night against Boston, and his importance on the blue line has never been higher.
There is now an argument to be made for No. 6 joining the double-digit goal club from the back-end. With three goals on the season, he is on a very good pace to do so.
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