Wild, Blues aim to go into break on high note (Jan 26, 2017)
ST. PAUL, Minn. -- With one game left before dispersing for the annual All-Star game, the Minnesota Wild and St. Louis Blues will approach Thursday's meeting trying to end the first portion of the season on a high note.
Minnesota could close the season's midway point with the best record in the Western Conference after a run that has seen the Wild post 20 wins in their past 25 games. St. Louis is holding on to the top wild card spot in the West, despite losing five of its past seven games.
Players and coaches will have time to relax during the break, but both teams know the importance of Thursday's meeting in Minnesota.
"We'll recharge, get a physical and mental break," Wild forward Charlie Coyle told the Minneapolis Star Tribune. "It will be good for us. But we've got to take care of this game, and I think that's our focus right now.
"It's one thing to be (in first place) right now and to get to this spot. But it's another thing to stay there and be there come playoff time and get that home ice. That's something we want to do, and we're capable of it. That's our goal."
The Wild have got to the top of the conference with a complete effort.
Since Dec. 4, Minnesota has scored the most goals in West and is tied for the fewest allowed. The Wild have outscored opponents 93-61 in that 25-game span. Minnesota is tied for first in the NHL as one of six teams with seven double-digit goal scorers.
The Wild had an optional practice on Wednesday in preparation for Thursday. Minnesota beat the Dallas Stars on Tuesday in a shootout.
"You look at our track record on the road lately and it's been pretty good," forward Jason Pominville told the Star Tribune. "We feel comfortable. We feel like we can win whether we're up or down. (Tuesday) we were able to stay focused, stay positive and find a way."
Pominville's has turned his season around with three goals in his past six games.
St. Louis is hoping its season is headed on an upswing. On the middle of a three-game road trip, the Blues went into Pittsburgh on Tuesday and shutout the Penguins in a 3-0 victory. St. Louis has won three of its past four road games.
"We seem to be playing a more complete game on the road," coach Ken Hitchcock told the team's website. "We play with a more compact game. And I just think getting the lead just sets the table for the way we play. I think it makes us more comfortable. The closer the game is, tied or us with the lead, our structure really seems in place. It's a good sign."
Another good sign has been the emergence of Carter Hutton. Hutton made 34 saves in earning his second shutout of the season and second in five games.
Hitchcock has decided Hutton will start Thursday in Minnesota after originally leaning toward Jake Allen.
"The last game changed that ... based on play," Hitchcock told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. "I mean there's shutouts and then there's shutouts that are highly earned. That was a highly earned shutout and you have to reward that. Any coach has to reward that. He had a lot of work, he made big saves, made big saves when it was 1-0, so to me that's an earned shutout and we've got to reward that."
Allen was the No. 1 goaltender for the Blues starting this season after Brian Elliott was traded to Calgary in the offseason. But St. Louis has allowed 3.04 goals per game this season, the sixth-highest total in the league.
Hutton has been a part of that, but he's also kept the Blues in games lately. He's held opponents to two or fewer goals in four of his past six games.
St. Louis hopes to build on Tuesday's win.
"It's a huge win," Blues forward Ryan Reaves told the Post-Dispatch. "Obviously, this month hasn't been going as well as we wanted. It's been a real tough month. So, to get a win on the road, especially against a really good team, it's a jump-start. But a big game in Minny coming into All-Star break."
