GDT #76: 3/25/12 > Blues @ Coyotes > 8:00 PM > FSMW/KMOX

[dmiles2186]

Recent results have cost the St. Louis Blues sole possession of first place in the race for the Presidents' Trophy. They may find comfort in knowing they've booked a chance to compete for a much bigger prize.

The Phoenix Coyotes aren't even close to being afforded the same luxury.

The Blues attempt to regain the lead atop the NHL standings while the Coyotes try to create some breathing room in the playoff race Sunday night at Jobing.com Arena.

St. Louis (46-20-9) has already clinched its first playoff spot since 2008-09, but is 1-2-2 after winning nine of 10. Those recent struggles, which include being shut out twice, have left the Blues and the New York Rangers tied with a league-leading 101 points.

The Blues struggled to pull away in the race for their first Presidents' Trophy since 1999-2000, getting blanked again in Thursday's 1-0 shootout defeat at Los Angeles. Still, St. Louis is surely more concerned with eventually making a run at its first Stanley Cup.

The Coyotes (37-26-13) are still trying to assure themselves of that chance, and a 4-5-4 record this month has left their fate very much up in the air.

Phoenix is seventh in the Western Conference, one point ahead of Los Angeles and San Jose and two in front of Colorado, which are vying for the eighth and final playoff position.

"We know our situation," coach Dave Tippett said. "We know where we are, we know where we want to get to."

The Coyotes failed to create some more separation from that pack Saturday, losing 4-3 in a shootout to the Sharks.

"They're playing playoff hockey right now like we are," defenseman Derek Morris said. "It was a tight game. It could have gone either way. It was just a battle on every single shift."

Some production from the power play could make a difference for Phoenix. The unit has converted just 3 of 30 chances over the last 11 games, going 0 for 6 in the past two.

Another rough performance could be in store since St. Louis has killed 62 of the last 64 power plays its faced over 19 contests.

Ray Whitney is providing some production with two goals and eight assists during a seven-game point streak. The left wing has four goals and two assists in his last 10 meetings with the Blues, but five of those points came in a win on Nov. 13, 2010, and he has just a goal in five matchups since.

The Blues have beaten the Coyotes in both meetings this season, winning 4-1 at home Jan. 3 after a 3-2 victory in Phoenix on Dec. 23. These teams will meet for the fourth and final time at St. Louis on April 6 in the penultimate game of the regular season.

T.J. Oshie had a goal in the most recent meeting with the Coyotes, giving him five points in five games. He hasn't been as effective recently, getting two points in six games after collecting eight in the prior eight.

His team-leading 50 points are a personal best, while his 18 goals match his career high from 2009-10.

[cardsfan04]

I think Blues will be good today on several days rest while the Coyotes played last night. Elliot follows up his shutout with another solid performance.

Blues 5
Coyotes 0

[glen a richter]

3-2-2 road trip sounds nicer than 2-3-2, though both sound like shit. I hope they got the crap out of their systems and want to get back to playing good, solid all around hockey.

Blues 3
Coyotes 1

[philco_3]

Fail

Old Jets 4
Young Blues 0

[drwoland]

This is gonna be a shoot out probably. And I don't mean the kind after overtime.

Blues 6
Yotes 4

[Blacktooth-Grin]

Blues- 4 [Stewart, Stewart, Stewart, Stewart] (Ba-dum-tish)
Yotes- 1

[DaDitka]

Blues- 4 [Stewart, Stewart, Stewart, Stewart] (Ba-dum-tish)
Yotes- 1

Are you related to Chris Stewart, or did we acquire some new 'Stewart"?

[fargoblues]

Blues- 4 [Stewart, Stewart, Stewart, Stewart] (Ba-dum-tish)
Yotes- 1

Are you related to Chris Stewart, or did we acquire some new 'Stewart"?

Didn't you hear? In light of the quality of Stewart's play this season, the league has decided to award him a goal for every second he actually stands in the opponent's goal crease and acts like a man with external testicles.

[cardsfan04]

Blues- 4 [Stewart, Stewart, Stewart, Stewart] (Ba-dum-tish)
Yotes- 1

Are you related to Chris Stewart, or did we acquire some new 'Stewart"?

Didn't you hear? In light of the quality of Stewart's play this season, the league has decided to award him a goal for every second he actually stands in the opponent's goal crease and acts like a man with external testicles.

so, in other words, no bonus goals for Stewart

[philco_3]

Blues- 4 [Stewart, Stewart, Stewart, Stewart] (Ba-dum-tish)
Yotes- 1

Are you related to Chris Stewart, or did we acquire some new 'Stewart"?

I think the Blues will merge Berglund and Stewart to create Patrick Stewart. So now we will just have one wasted piece of talent out there instead of two.

[fargoblues]

Blues- 4 [Stewart, Stewart, Stewart, Stewart] (Ba-dum-tish)
Yotes- 1

Are you related to Chris Stewart, or did we acquire some new 'Stewart"?

Didn't you hear? In light of the quality of Stewart's play this season, the league has decided to award him a goal for every second he actually stands in the opponent's goal crease and acts like a man with external testicles.

so, in other words, no bonus goals for Stewart

I didn't say it had to be when time is running. I predict he stands there during one of the TV timeouts and is able to bang his way around some of the chicks that scoop the snow from the crease, and that out of the 60 seconds they're out there, he'll be able to stay in the crease for 4.

[WaukeeBlues]

Blues 2
Yotes 4

[sseagle]

This is gonna be a shoot out probably. And I don't mean the kind after overtime.

Blues 6
Yotes 4

The thing after overtime is a loss... or a shitoff ... or a shitout..

[Mahoney]

Predicting 3-1 Blues!!

[ohio BLUES]

The famed Jobing.com Arena always gives us fits it seems. Time to break that spell.

Blues 3 (Shattenkirk, Arnott, Schwartz PP)
Coyotes 1 (Korpikovski)

[PGABluesFan]

Steen and Russell both playing tonight. Thank the Lord.

[philco_3]

With the additions of Steen and Russell I would like to change my outcome.

Coyotes 3-1

[dmiles2186]

Steen and Russell both playing tonight. Thank the Lord.

FRACK. YES.

(More for Steen than Speedy Gonzalez)

[STLADOGG]

(More for Steen than Speedy Gonzalez)

Paul Kariya??

[glen a richter]

Getting Steener and Russell back is like making a blockbuster trade, oh-ho-ho-hoooooly jumping!