Blues Pursue 13th Win Amid Key Playoff Matchup Against Jets

WINNIPEG, Manitoba — The St. Louis Blues aim for their 13th consecutive victory tonight against the Winnipeg Jets at Canada Life Centre. This matchup is crucial as a regulation win could secure their position in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, dependent on a regulation loss by the Calgary Flames.

Blues Head Coach Jim Montgomery plans to maintain the same lineup that led to a 5-4 victory against the Colorado Avalanche on April 5. “We’ve made some adjustments this season, and it’s great to see them paying off,” Montgomery said. St. Louis enters the game boasting a franchise record of 12-consecutive wins.

The Blues’ projected starting goaltender is Joel Hofer, who hails from Winnipeg. With a current record of 33 wins this season, Hofer will face a Jets team sitting at the top of the Western Conference with 106 points, accumulating a 6-4-0 record over their last ten outings.

“We know the challenge ahead, but we’re taking it game by game. Every match is crucial as we inch closer to the playoffs,” said Blues forward Brayden Schenn.

The current forward lines for St. Louis include Pavel Buchnevich centering Robert Thomas and Jimmy Snuggerud. The remaining lines will see Jake Neighbours with Brayden Schenn and Jordan Kyrou, while Mathieu Joseph plays alongside Oskar Sundqvist and Zack Bolduc. Alexey Toropchenko caps off the forward lineup in conjunction with Radek Faksa and Nathan Walker.

On the defensive end, the Blues will feature Cam Fowler with Nick Leddy, and Philip Broberg paired with Justin Faulk. Ryan Suter and Tyler Tucker round out the defense, while Hofer will be supported by backup goaltender Jordan Binnington.

For Winnipeg, the lineup remains a point of interest. Coach Scott Arniel is optimistic about Nikolaj Ehlers, who is a game-time decision after missing recent games due to injury. Ehlers was sidelined following a mishap in a past game but participated in the morning skate.

“Nikolaj has been moving well, and we’re hopeful he’ll be ready for tonight,” said Arniel regarding the speedy forward’s potential return. The Jets will also be watching Neal Pionk closely, who has missed multiple games but is nearing a return to the lineup.

In terms of injuries, Winnipeg is managing several players, including Gabriel Vilardi and Rasmus Kupari. While both are not expected to play tonight, they continually strive for a prompt return.

This game comes in a critical phase of the season as teams position themselves for the upcoming playoffs beginning on April 19. St. Louis’ impressive winning streak has put them in contention for a wild card spot alongside the Minnesota Wild, who share the same points while the Vancouver Canucks are trailing by six points.

“We’re excited about where we are as a team right now. Every game matters, and to be in this position is what we strive for,” noted Schenn.

The showdown is set to begin at 6:30 PM CDT, and after the puck drops, fans can stay tuned for postgame analysis and recaps across various platforms, including YouTube and NHL.com.