Wild Game Day number 48 Wild Record (31-11-5 67 pts) Home Record (16-6-0)
Opponent: St. Louis Blues (24-19-5 53 pts) Road Record (8-12-1)
Site: Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul, MN
Time: 7:00PM CT
TV: NBC Sports Network (NBCSN)
Last Season results: 10/10/15 Blues 2 @ Wild 3 10/31/15 Wild 2 @ Blues 3 (OT) 12/31/15 Wild 3 @ Blues 1 2/6/16 Wild 1 @ Blues 4 3/6/16 Blues 4 @ Wild 2
Last result: 10/13 Wild 2 @ Blues 3 11/26 Wild 3 @ Blues 4 (SO) 12/11 Blues 1 @ Wild 3
A lot has changed for both the Blues and the Wild since these two Central Division combatants last me nearly a month and a half ago. The Wild have ascended to the top of the Western Conference, while the Blues have been able to win just eight of nineteen since.
The Blues however, are coming off one of their most impressive performances of the season, a 3-0 shutout in Pittsburgh, backed by the 34 save shutout from Carter Hutton.
Goaltending has been a big issue in St. Louis of late with Jake Allen being pulled in his last three starts and ultimately being left home for the first leg of the Blues current road trip, a 5-3 loss in Winnipeg on Saturday night.
It is the Blues and the Wild and it is an NBCSN televised game. Central Division rivals with no love loss between them. Throw the records out, throw out the recent ups and downs either team has experienced. Tonight is going to be a black and blue type of showdown between two teams trying to make a statement.
For the Wild that statement is we are where we belong at the top of the Western Conference standings and a true contender. For St. Louis, the statement is we are still the tough Blues team that everyone remembers going to the conference finals a year ago and we will be better in the second half of the season, and we can win in two of the toughest road buildings in succession heading into the break.
Bruce Boudreau wants his team to remain focused and not let the upcoming break take their mind off of the task at hand in tonight's game with the Blues. Simple game plan utilize team speed, frustrate the Blues into taking penalties and take advantage of the man advantage opportunities.
For St. Louis they will try to slow the Wild down as only Ken Hitchcock coached teams can do. Muck it up at every opportunity and rely on the opportune scoring opportunities for his sniper Vladimir Tarasenko and his cast of characters Alex Steen, Paul Stastny, Jaden Schwartz and company.
Hitchcock has made a history of having great regular season teams and he does it consistently with every team he has ever coached. There is no reason to believe that this year's Blues team will not respond better in the second half of the season and when the dust settles, don't be surprised if they are solidly in a playoff position, not battling for a wildcard berth.
It's always Hockey Day in the State of Hockey!
Let's Play Hockey!
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