Opinion
3 min read

Blues and Sharks Clash: St. Louis Aims to Continue Home Ice Heroics

As the St. Louis Blues prepare to face off against the San Jose Sharks, fans are buzzing with anticipation for what promises to be an electrifying encounter at the Enterprise Center. The Blues have been showcasing a formidable performance on home ice, and this upcoming game is expected to add another thrilling chapter to their season.


Nov 16, 2023; San Jose, California, USA; St. Louis Blues center Robert Thomas (18) skates with the puck during warmups before the game against the San Jose Sharks at SAP Center at San Jose. Mandatory Credit: Robert Edwards-USA TODAY Sports

In their recent outing on March 20th against the Colorado Avalanche, despite a valiant effort, the Blues fell just short in a nail-biting 4-3 loss. This was a game where every shot could have turned the tide, with St. Louis managing an impressive shooting percentage of nine percent from their 33 shots on goal. Their powerplay opportunities didn't bear fruit that night, but they did outperform Colorado in faceoffs won with a success rate of 52 percent.


The resilience of STL was further proven in their March 17th victory over the Anaheim Ducks. The Blues' powerplay unit came alive, converting three out of six opportunities which contributed significantly to their four goals from just 27 shots – an outstanding shooting percentage of fifteen percent that evening.


Nov 16, 2023; San Jose, California, USA; San Jose Sharks defenseman Jan Rutta (84) blocks a shot against St. Louis Blues center Robert Thomas (18) during the first period at SAP Center at San Jose. Mandatory Credit: Robert Edwards-USA TODAY Sports

Against Minnesota Wild earlier on March 17th as well, it was clear that special teams could be a deciding factor for STL; they capitalized once during powerplays and ultimately triumphed in a shootout after ending regular play tied at two apiece.


Looking ahead at San Jose Sharks' recent form reveals vulnerabilities that STL can exploit. The Sharks struggled in faceoff circles against Anaheim Ducks with only nineteen wins from fifty-seven attempts – translating into a mere thirty-three percent success rate.


Nov 16, 2023; San Jose, California, USA; San Jose Sharks right wing Givani Smith (54) celebrates with center Luke Kunin (11) and center Ryan Carpenter (22) after scoring a goal against the St. Louis Blues during the second period at SAP Center at San Jose. Mandatory Credit: Robert Edwards-USA TODAY Sports

The key for St. Louis will be maintaining pressure during powerplays while also tightening up defensively during penalty kills; if they can replicate or improve upon their previous performances against both Avalanche and Ducks where they showed strength even when shorthanded.


With these strategies in mind and backed by passionate home support, there's every reason to believe that the Blues can skate away with another win under their belt when they take on SJ.


Fans eager not to miss any action should mark their calendars for March 31st when these two teams collide at Enterprise Center in St. Louis MO; puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 PM CT. The game will be broadcasted live on ESPN+ online as well as NBCS-CA and BSMW television networks – ensuring no one has to miss this high-stakes matchup.

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