The St. Louis Blues, currently holding a 14-15-8 record, are set to play one final game before their four-day Christmas break. They aim to build on their recent momentum during a two-game Florida road trip against the Tampa Bay Lightning, starting Monday at 6 p.m. (FDSNMW, ESPN 101.1-FM). Fresh off an impressive 6-2 victory over the Florida Panthers—marking their top offensive performance this season—the Blues showcased contributions from across the roster. Notable performances included Robert Thomas, who will celebrate his 500th NHL game on Monday and recently scored two goals and an assist, plus rookie Jonathan Berggren (1 goal, 2 assists), Otto Stenberg who recorded his first two NHL points, and Jake Neighbors, who netted two goals and became the first Blue to reach double-digit points this season.
A win on Monday would earn the Blues five points in four of their last five games, concluding a rigorous stretch of 11 matches in 19 days. Remarkably, they are just one point away from clinching a wild card spot in the Western Conference playoff race, potentially reaching a .500 record for the first time since early in the season. However, the Blues have struggled in Tampa, losing their last four visits by an aggregate score of 18-6. The only change to their lineup from Saturday is Jordan Binnington returning as goaltender.
Projected Blues lineup includes Jonathan Berggren, Robert Thomas, Pavel Buchnevich; Jake Neighbors, Brayden Schenn, Otto Stenberg; Pius Suter, Dalibor Dvorsky, Robbie Fabbri; Alexei Trobchenko, Oskar Sundqvist, Mathieu Joseph; with defensive pairs Philip Broberg-Colton Parayko, Tyler Tucker-Justin Falk, and Cam Fowler-Logan Mailloux. Backup goalie Joel Hofer will be on standby. Injuries still affect the team, with key players like Matthew Kessel, Jordan Caillou, Dylan Holloway, Jimmy Snaggard, Nathan Walker, and Nick Bigstad sidelined.
On the other side, Tampa Bay’s lineup is led by Pontus Homburg, Brayden Point, Nikita Kucherov, with Andrei Vasilevskiy expected to start as goalie. The Lightning have several injured players including Curtis Douglas, Victor Hedman, Brandon Hagel, Eric Cernak, and Emil Lilleberg.
Blues GM Doug Armstrong praises the team’s strong work ethic, noting their relentless push, which bodes well for overcoming early-season struggles. Meanwhile, the team’s prospects, especially from Springfield, have made notable contributions, with standout players poised for future success.
Fan Take: This Florida matchup is crucial for the Blues as it reflects their growth and potential with emerging young talent stepping up when it counts. For hockey fans, it’s exciting to see a team balance seasoned skills with fresh energy, signaling a promising future for the sport and heightened competition in the NHL playoffs.
