Blues and Ducks Clash in Key Western Conference Matchup

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — The St. Louis Blues (30-27-6) aim to extend their impressive performance in a crucial Western Conference matchup against the Anaheim Ducks (27-27-7) on Friday night at Honda Center. After a thrilling 3-2 shootout victory against the Los Angeles Kings, the Blues look to secure a Wild Card playoff position as the season progresses.

Robert Thomas led the charge for the Blues with his 17th goal of the season, further extending his point streak to 11 games. In addition to scoring during regulation, Thomas netted the decisive shootout goal. “We’ve always known we got a good group in here, a great group of guys,” Thomas said. “We get along great, we have fun with each other, and I think that’s just making it even better for our team.”

Jake Neighbours also contributed, scoring his 16th goal, and goaltender Jordan Binnington secured the win, marking his fifth consecutive victory. Binnington holds a record of 6-0-1 in his last seven outings, with a .921 save percentage. He is undefeated in shootouts this season with a perfect 4-0 record. Following Wednesday’s victory, Blues Head Coach Jim Montgomery expressed confidence in his team’s playoff aspirations. “The smiles, the energy; there’s a belief in that room right now about what we can achieve,” Montgomery stated.

However, the Blues received concerning news Thursday as defenseman Colton Parayko is expected to be sidelined for six weeks due to injury. Parayko recorded his 20th assist during Wednesday’s game, tying his career-high points at 35 this season. The Blues will remain in Southern California for two more games after facing the Ducks, as they prepare for a rematch against the Kings on Sunday.

On the other side, the Anaheim Ducks are dealing with their own challenges after a 3-2 loss to the Vancouver Canucks. The Ducks, ranked 30th in the league with just 158 goals this season, experienced significant offensive struggles, as reflected in their power-play conversion rate of 12.3 percent and a faceoff win percentage of 44.

In search of rejuvenation, the Ducks recently acquired prospect Herman Traff from the New Jersey Devils in exchange for defenseman Brian Dumoulin. Traff, 19, was the Devils’ third-round pick in the 2024 draft and has experience representing Sweden at the World Junior Championships.

Fowler, who has transitioned from the Ducks to the Blues, will return to Anaheim for the first time as an opposing player. He leads all Blues defensemen with 19 points since joining St. Louis. “With everything wrapped up in it for me, it’s going to be hard to treat it just as a normal game,” Fowler remarked. “It’s going to be a fun experience for me.”

The Ducks hope to turn their season around, having posted a 10-8-2 record since the last meeting with the Blues on January 9. As the Ducks sit at sixth place in the Pacific Division, they face increasing pressure to secure a spot in the postseason.

In the previous encounter, the Blues triumphed over the Ducks with a score of 6-2. This latest clash marks the second of three games between the two teams this season.

Both teams present key lineups for this matchup, with the Blues projected to feature Thomas alongside wingers Neighbours and Buchnevich, while the Ducks counter with a lineup including Vatrano and Strome. Ticket sales for the highly anticipated contest are expected to be brisk.