16 games left in the season, and six points out of the last playoff spot in the NHL’s Western Conference. That is the position the St. Louis Blues find themselves in as they get ready for games tonight in Columbus and tomorrow night in Minneapolis.
The Blues find themselves in a familiar position as the season is winding down, on the outside, looking for a way into the playoffs. Last year, the Note would use a late season push to do just that and make their way into the post season as the sixth seed. This would be the first appearance for the Blues in the post season in five years.
Even though St. Louis would be eliminated in the playoffs in the first round, this was valuable experience for a very young team still in the stages of rebuilding from the lost season of 2004. And there is nothing to say that this team, could not make the playoffs again this season.
The Blues are red hot right now, winning six of their last seven games. Their opponents the next two days, the Blue Jackets and the Wild, will not be easy wins, but they will be road games. So far this season, the Blues are 19-10-4 away from St. Louis.
The Note will split their last 16 games with eight at home and eight on the road. Five of the last 16 will be against two teams, the Nashville Predators and the Chicago Blackhawks.
If the Blues can get some help, and play above .500, they should be able to make their way into the post game party.
After tomorrow night, the Blues will return to the Scottrade Center for a game Tuesday night against Colorado. Then they will hit the road again for games later in the week against the New York Rangers and the New Jersey Devils.
The puck drops on tonight’s game at 6:00.