Follow @stlgoalie The Blues end their 5 game road trip when they travel to SAP Center to take on the San Jose Sharks at 9:30pm CST. The Blues and the Sharks will be meeting for the 3rd time in the Blues last 20 games with the Sharks taking the first two by a combined score of 9-4. The Blues and Sharks both have 7 wins in their last 10, a mark only bested by the Pittsburgh Penguins’ 8.
The Sharks have a high flying attack, 3rd best in the NHL in goals per game at 2.93, more than 1/3 a goal more per game than the Blues. The Sharks’ goal scoring is aided by their third ranked power play efficiency. Joe Thornton, Joe Pavelski, and Brent Burns are all in the top 10 points leaders, with Pavelski 4th in goals and Thornton 4th in assists. Martin Jones has had a strong season in net, 3rd in wins, 2nd in shutouts, 8th in goals against average.
Jaden Schwartz has been burning up the March calendar, posting 3 goals and 8 assists in only 8 games and has a 5 game point streak. Paul Stastny has 3 goals and 6 assists in the same span and points in 5 of his last 6 games. Like Stastny, Vladimir Tarasenko has points in 5 of his last 6 games, potting 4 goals and adding 4 assists.
As expected after his shutout, Brian Elliott will get the start. Elliott has a 90.6% save percentage and a 2.91 GAA against the Sharks. From the sounds of it, the Blues will go with the same lineup tonight even though Robby Fabbri left practice early and Carl Gunnarsson appears not to be quite 100%.
My guess for the Blues lines are as follows: Schwartz –Lehtera – Tarasenko Jaskin - Berglund – Backes Fabbri – Stastny -Brouwer Upshall – Brodziak – Reaves Edmundson – Pietrangelo Bouwmeester - Parayko Gunnarsson – Bortuzzo Elliott
Notes from around the league: - After the Kings raced past the Blues, Stars and Hawks in points per game, the Predators beat them down 5-2 last night. - Speaking of the Predators, they now sit only 4 points behind the Hawks. - Half of the top six points per game teams are in the Central. - The Ducks, Sharks and Stars can all clinch a playoff spot tonight. - The Red Wings continue have the Flyers in their rear view mirror, one point down for the final wild card spot with the Flyers having 1 games in hand. - The Islanders now have both the Red Wings and Flyers in their rear view mirror after losing 3 in a row. - The Canucks are falling steadily in the standing, having lost 4 games in a row. - Six points separate 23rd to 30th but game differentials distort this.
It’s a great day for hockey.