St. Louis Blues Morning Links: Les Habitants Are Next

The St. Louis Blues will put their winning streak to the test again tonight. This time their foe will be the Atlantic Division leading Montreal Canadiens.

The St. Louis Blues have a chance to tie their season’s longest win streak tonight. In their way stands the Montreal Canadiens, the leading team in the Atlantic Division.

The Blues may not have to worry about where Montreal stands, but they are currently better off than St. Louis. The Canadiens are nine points ahead of the Blues, but they have not been at their best lately.

Montreal had lost four in a row before beating Arizona on Thursday. They have lost six of their last nine as well.

Scoring has suddenly become a rather big issue too. During their four-game losing streak, they failed to score more than two goals in every game but one.

It is rather interesting how the course of a few games can change the outlook of teams. The Canadiens have more goals scored right now than the Blues, however the Blues are on a good winning streak and St. Louis has scored two or more goals in six of the last eight.

The Blues offense has gone through a bit of a resurgence. It was never great and may never be great as presently constituted. However, they have finally become the speedier team they sought to be from the start of the year.

Similarly to the Blues when they were in their winter doldrums, the key will be Carey Price and the Canadiens defense. Montreal has conceded 15 goals in their last five. That includes a 1-0 defeat to Edmonton.

Unfortunately, Blues fans know all too well the luck we have. St. Louis has a tendency to be the team players break out of their funk against. Either the player or the team find their game against ours for some reason.

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Call it fate or call it luck or coincidence. It seems to happen too much for our liking.

So, it falls upon the Blues to make this work. The team has some great chemistry going, but they will have to figure out a new chemistry without one of their key players.

While it is not official, it is expected Paul Stastny will not play. It figures just when the line that place Stastny, Vladimir Tarasenko and Alex Steen together clicked, something would happen.

It is not expected to be long term, but anything that disrupts the team could be an issue. From a fan’s perspective, we just want to see the same effort we have witnessed the last few games.

Winning would be great and just what the doctor ordered. As mentioned on Twitter though, it’s just nice to be looking forward to Blues games again.

Here are your St. Louis Blues Morning Links to get your day started off right.

Speaking of the Stastny injury, he likely won’t be in the lineup in Montreal. However, Mike Yeo left himself some wiggle room. (Post-Dispatch)

The man with the inside track at the Post-Dispatch, Jeremy Rutherford released another 10 question/answer session. In it he covers such topics as the Shattenkirk trade issue, who else might go, why Yeo is getting more from the team and more. (STLToday)

It seemed like it would be an easy choice at first, but the vote to fund improvements for the Scottrade Center was one of the more contentious ones. In the end, the city finally came to its senses and pushed the initiative forward. (KBIA)

As the trade deadline creeps closer, we continue our look at potential returns for a Kevin Shattenkirk trade. Our latest installment looks to the Great White North. (Bleedin’ Blue)

In coincidental timing, van Riemsdyk came out and said he wants to stay in Toronto past the trade deadline. Then again, Shattenkirk wants to stay in St. Louis too. That does not mean it will happen. (NHL)

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Yesterday, the NHL lost one of its better members. Though a rival to our hockey team, Mike Ilitch was good for the city of Detroit and good for hockey and passed away. (ESPN)

St. Louis might be the city players return to after their playing days are done. However, it seems Chicago is the place they return to before they are done. In the latest round of rumors, a current former Blackhawk might be heading back. (ESPN)

Have a great day Blues fans!