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The Blues are many things, but I don't think "lucky" would be the first word you'd use. Nor the second ... or the thirty-seventh either. But, in this rare instance, it just might apply. The Blues are running the gauntlet on this road trip, including 2 of the top 3 teams in the Atlantic Division.
The Blues are riding a hot streak at the moment; a hot "STL Line" which just so happens to coincide with a run of 10 wins in the past 11 games. On top of that, the Blues are healthy; the Caps game on Saturday was the first time all year that Coach Hitchcock had the full roster to choose from. While there will still be some matter of adjustment, this is our first look at a "fully armed and operational" Blues Death Star. No telling what happens next, but for now, the gang's all here.
Our luck continues, in that the opposite can be said for the Boston Bruins. Before the season started, the Bruins had to shed some cap dollars, and did so by trading defensive stalwart Johnny Boychuk to the Islanders. They took another hit when captain Zdeno Chara got hurt in October, creating a massive hole in their defensive depth. Add to that the absence of David Warsofsky (IR since Nov 7) and Kevan Miller (IR since Oct 19), and their D has been really hit hard. Now, Miller is on the verge of coming back to the lineup, and may make his return tonight .. but even then, you'd have to expect some rust. On their forward corps, the Bruins will be missing a big playmaker in David Krejci. He's listed as day-to-day, but it doesn't sound like he'll be playing tonight.
The Bruins are 3rd in the Atlantic Division, with a record of 11-8-0. Those injuries have started to show, however. In their last 3 games, they've been shellacked 6-1 by the Maple Leafs, then again by the Montreal Canadiens 5-1 the following night. Most recently, the Bruins just eked out a 2-1 win over the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday. These are the "no wins until November" Hurricanes, aka (not my line) the ConnorLina Hurricanes. While it displays a weakness in the Boston gameplan, it'll also mean that they'll be in a foul mood for our boys in blue. There will be provocation, for sure, but the Blues will need to know when to walk away.
I've said for quite a while the the Bruins were the most Western Conference-like team in the East. They can play the tough, grind it out style that separates them from the pack of the Leastern Conference. As such, they were always a threat to the Blues. Tonight, though, we might have caught a break with their depleted lineup. While no team with Patrice Bergeron and Tuukka Rask can be considered a pushover, the Blues definitely have an edge here. Whether the Blues take advantage of that or not, well ... that remains to be seen.
The Blues never, ever, do nothing "Nice, and Easy".
Further Reading:
Blues vs Bruins coverage
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Final Verse: The Boys are back on the East Coast, so an early start tonight. The puck drops 6:00 PM St Louis time, and the GameDay Thread should drop shortly beforehand. It's going to be up to our out-of-towners to set the pace for the commenting, as a lot of us will be at Cousin Hugo's for the GTGT watch party. If you see this in time, come join us! Otherwise, follow along with Fox Sports MW on TV or on KMOX 1120 for the radio call. Either way, enjoy a good game tonight. I hope it goes something like this:
LGB!!