3 ways the St. Louis Blues can maximize their chances to reach the NHL playoffs

Consistent defense will lead to more wins down the stretch

If the Blues have been one of the better teams in the NHL in one area, it’s been in the defensive zone. They remain in the top half of the league, albeit barely, in goals allowed with 201, or just over three per game. 

Much of this has to do with the duo that is Jordan Binnington and Joel Hofer, who collectively had a 0.585 quality starts percentage, a 0.912 save percentage, and a serviceable 2.84 GAA before last night’s win over the Los Angeles Kings. The latter number can stand to decrease, and more consistent defense will help the two goaltenders achieve that. 

Currently, the Blues are allowing 32.3 shots against per game, which is the eighth-highest in the NHL. If that number dips to 28 or under, expect this team to win a few more games than most in league circles would expect. 

That hasn’t been the case lately, as from February 13th to March 13th, the Blues have allowed an astounding 34.4 shots on goal per. Unfortunately, the number shows just how much of a downturn this team has been in over the past month, but that hasn’t been the case all season.