Preview: Blues at Wild

NHL teams play all season for home-ice advantage -- only to give it away.

It hasn't meant much at all in the first-round Western Conference series between the St. Louis Blues and Minnesota Wild. The teams have traded victories over the first five games, three of them coming on the road and sending overflow crowds home grumbling.

Wild-card Minnesota has a 3-2 series edge against St. Louis, the Central Division champions, and can advance to the second round for the second straight season with a victory on Sunday.

The Blues dominated the last time they were in the Twin Cities, chasing goalie Devan Dubnyk in a 6-1 rout. Two days later, Dubnyk was the star with 36 saves in a 4-1 victory.

It's the only series with no games decided by a single goal.

"Well, I don't think I can explain the lopsided wins," Dubnyk said. "I don't think either team would have expected that. I think both sides aren't surprised by the going back and forth.

"We knew it was going to be a long, tough series and I'm sure they did, too, and that's when it becomes important to put games behind you, win or lose."

Forward Steve Ott believes the way to eliminate gaps in the Blues' game is to rigidly stick to the relentless, physical style that earned them 109 points and the second seed in the West.

"We have to get rid of the lulls. We have to continue to be very robotic at times or almost methodical," Ott said. "When we're methodical, we're very hard to play against."

Game 5 was the first time in the series the team that scored first did not win.

Vladimir Tarasenko put St. Louis up early with his playoffs-leading sixth goal and the Blues were ahead 8-0 in shots before momentum abruptly shifted. Marco Scandella scored on a shot from the top of the left circle that goalie Jake Allen couldn't handle, the puck popping out of his glove and into the net.

The Blues outshot the Wild 12-3 in the first period but the score was tied and Minnesota gained momentum over time.

Dubnyk instilled more confidence when he twice stoned Alexander Steen in the second period, kicking his pad into the air to bat away one close chance.

"The fireworks were going off in the building," Wild coach Mike Yeo said. "Obviously, when you're on the bench your heart kind of sinks. All of a sudden, you're going down the other way on the rush. It's a big lift for your group."

The Wild were resilient, shaking off the 6-1 rout at home in Game 4, and now it's the Blues' turn.

"We've still got two games to play," St. Louis defenseman Alex Pietrangelo said. "We're not going to hang our heads, we know we've got to play better. We'll take a hard look at ourselves and get ready for Game 6."

Since 1986, the Blues have lost 11 of 12 best-of-seven series when tied at two games apiece, with the lone victory coming in the first round in 2001 against the San Jose Sharks. Game 7, if necessary, would be Wednesday in St. Louis.