On Friday night, the St. Louis Blues continue their road trip with another Central Division matchup. The team heads to the “Lone Star State” to battle the Dallas Stars. Let’s jump into the game preview and identify the keys to victory for the Blues.
Blues’ Gameday Preview: Blues vs. Stars
The two rivals are meeting for the second time this season. The Blues won the first matchup, 3-1, at home on Oct. 18. Jimmy Snuggerud recorded the game-winning goal.
The Blues lead the all-time series, 145-118-43-5.
Projected Lineup (Subject to Change)
- Otto Stenberg – Brayden Schenn – Jimmy Snuggerud
- Jake Neighbours – Jordan Kyrou – Pavel Buchnevich
- Dalibor Dvorsky – Robby Fabbri – Jonatan Berggren
- Alexey Toropchenko – Nick Bjugstad – Nathan Walker
- Philip Broberg – Colton Parayko
- Tyler Tucker – Justin Faulk
- Cam Fowler – Logan Mailloux
- Joel Hofer/Jordan Binnington
Team Stats
The injured Robert Thomas leads the team with 33 points and 22 assists. Neighbours has the most goals with 12. Tucker has recorded the most penalty minutes with 49. Lastly, among skaters, Stenberg leads the Blues with a plus-3 rating.
In goal, Hofer leads the Blues in all major categories. He has 11 wins, a 2.73 goals-against average (GAA), and a .904 save percentage (SV%).
Keys to Victory
If the Blues want to pick up two points in Texas, here are their keys to victory.
Take Advantage of Dallas Penalties
Dallas’ penalty kill is a vulnerability, ranking near the bottom of the league at 79.6%. Recently, the Stars took 36 penalties in ten games, allowing opponents 12 power-play goals. The Blues must exploit this weakness by drawing penalties and generating power-play opportunities to capitalize on them.
The Blues’ power play scores 16.5% of the time, but the Stars’ penalty kill presents a key opportunity. If the Blues get the man advantage, feeding Dvorsky — who leads the team with four power-play goals — should be a focus. This matchup could tilt in St. Louis’ favor if they consistently attack Dallas’ penalty kill.
It will be interesting to see what head coach Jim Montgomery has planned for the power play. He took over power-play duties earlier in the week. An early opportunity awaits him.
Kyrou vs. the Stars
Kyrou faces the Stars with nine goals this season. However, he has excelled in this matchup, recording five goals and six assists in 14 games against Dallas. His almost point-per-game performance against the Stars makes him a central figure in this key matchup.
With scorers like Thomas and Pius Suter out due to injury, this is a great opportunity for Kyrou to step up. Furthermore, the power play could be an excellent opportunity for him to make his mark in the game. He may only have one power-play goal in his career against the Stars, but he is someone who has succeeded in the past with the man advantage, scoring at least seven power-play goals each of the last three seasons.
Slow Down Robertson
Jason Robertson is having a great season. He is approaching 30 goals and has recorded 10 power-play goals for the third time in his career. His name has surfaced in trade talks, and his performance is only enticing interested teams.
Related: NHL Rumours: Robertson Demand, No Panarin Deal, Surging Predators & Andersson Countdown
Robertson is a key threat for Dallas, with two recent goals and strong season numbers. However, the Blues have held him scoreless in their last three meetings. St. Louis must focus on containing Robertson to maintain this trend, as stopping him is crucial in this matchup.
Final Thoughts
The Stars are a beatable team. However, that does not mean it will be easy. The Blues cannot afford to let up at any moment during the game. To beat the Stars, they need to be ready for the opening puck drop.
Hopefully, the Blues can give their fans a fun start to what should be a snowy weekend in St. Louis.
