Opinion
3 min read

St. Louis Blues Set to Battle Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG Paints Arena

As the St. Louis Blues prepare to face off against the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG Paints Arena, fans are eager for what promises to be an electrifying game. The upcoming match on December 4th is a crucial one for the Blues, who have shown both moments of brilliance and signs of struggle in their recent performances.


Oct 19, 2022; Seattle, Washington, USA; St. Louis Bluesforward Jordan Kyrou (25) celebrates with teammates on the bench after scoring a goal during the first period against Seattle Kraken at Climate Pledge Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Brashear-USA TODAY Sports

The St. Louis Blues' last game against the Carolina Hurricanes on December 2nd ended in a loss with a scoreline of 6-4 despite playing at home. This outcome was particularly disheartening given that they were outplayed in terms of shots, with only 26 compared to the Hurricanes' 36, and their faceoff win percentage was a mere 40 percent. However, it's worth noting that they capitalized on powerplay opportunities by scoring two goals out of three chances.


In contrast, during their November 29th game against the Dallas Stars, another home fixture resulted in just one point for the Blues as they lost by a narrow margin (4-1). Their shooting percentage dropped significantly to just over four percent and once again they struggled in faceoffs with only a thirty-six percent success rate.


However, there is hope stemming from their performance on November 26th against the Florida Panthers where they emerged victorious after an intense overtime battle ending with five points to four. The team showed resilience and offensive prowess by netting five goals from thirty-seven shots which translated into a more respectable shooting percentage of around thirteen percent.


The key takeaway for St. Louis is that when they manage to maintain pressure and convert opportunities—especially during powerplays—they can tilt games in their favor. Their ability to leverage man-advantage situations could be pivotal against Pittsburgh Penguins who will not yield easily on their home ice.


On defense though, there are concerns; goaltending has been inconsistent as evidenced by save percentages hovering around eighty-three percent across these past games which may not suffice against high-caliber opponents like Pittsburgh.


The Penguins will undoubtedly pose a formidable challenge; having had strong performances recently themselves including solid defensive displays limiting opposition scoring chances effectively while capitalizing on offensive plays through coordinated attacks and high shot volumes.


Fans should expect an intense matchup where special teams could play a decisive role along with goaltending performance from both sides dictating much of the pace and outcome of this encounter between two well-matched adversaries vying for supremacy at PPG Paints Arena.


Supporters can catch all the action live as it unfolds starting at midnight Eastern Time (ET) on December 4th via ESPN+ online or tune into SportsNet PT channel number six hundred fifty-nine or BSMW channel number six hundred seventy-one depending upon your location.

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