We've come to the end of the road trip, and I think we can all agree that it's a great thing. The Carolina Hurricanes have earned five of eight possible points through four stops, with two more big points on the line when they battle the Blues in the shadow of the Gateway Arch. They've been in some dogfights throughout the trip, and tonight should prove to be no different.
The Hurricanes and the Edmonton Oilers provided us with one of the most entertaining games of the season on Thursday night. The Canes led 2-1, 4-2, and 5-4 in the game, but they couldn't hold on. Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl provided two goals and three assists each, ensuring the game made it to overtime. In the shootout, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scored to secure a 6-5 Edmonton win.
Ahead of the trip, I mentioned that the Blues had the Canes' number last season. In January, they used a three-goal second period to back Joel Hofer's 33-save shutout in a 3-0 victory on home ice. In March, Mark Jankowski scored the opener, but St. Louis scored three unanswered goals to hand the Canes a 3-1 loss in Raleigh. They were one of three teams to blank the Canes in the season series.
Behind Enemy Lines: St. Louis Blues
The Blues went through some changes this offseason, trading away one of their biggest weapons, Jordan Kyrou, to the Washington Capitals. In doing so, they acquired Connor McMichael, who has quickly become a big part of their offense in a short time. They also made a big trade for Mason McTavish, showing that they weren't tearing it down after missing the postseason last season.
Entering the night with back-to-back victories, including a 6-2 thumping of the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday, the Blues are 5-4-1 on the young year, sitting in a deadlock with the Avalanche in the Central Division. They've been excellent at home to begin the season, going perfect on the penalty kill and allowing just 2.25 goals per game on the way to a 3-0-1 start in front of their fans.
Joel Hofer has been a big reason for that. After spending last season in a tandem with Jordan Binnington, Hofer has clearly taken the reins this season. He has started seven of St. Louis' ten games and is Top 10 in the league in GAA (2.17) and save percentage (.921). The 26-year-old has restored some stability in the crease, giving fans hope that good things are on the horizon.
Injury Report
Carolina: Seth Jarvis's return to the lineup allows us to remove one name from the list, but it's still a pretty extensive group on the shelf. Jordan Staal (lower-body), Taylor Hall (upper-body), and Mark Jankowski (lower-body) remain out as the Canes prepare for their final game of the road trip.
St. Louis: The Blues are dealing with their share of injuries at the moment. Ross Johnston is day-to-day, while Alexey Toropchenko, Logan Mailloux, and Dillon Dube are all considered week-to-week with various ailments.
Players to Watch
Mason McTavish: It'll be our first look at McTavish in a Blues sweater, and the fit has been very nice through ten games. He's tied for the team lead in goals (6) and points (10) and is tied for the NHL lead with three game-winning goals. McTavish had a six-game point streak snapped on Tuesday before scoring against Vegas. It turns out that a change of scenery might've been good for him after all.
Jimmy Snuggerud: After being one of the league's top rookies last season, finishing fifth for the Calder Trophy, Snuggerud has picked up where he left off. He sits tied with McTavish in goals, entering tonight on a three-game goal streak. Snuggerud scored three of St. Louis' six goals against the Canes last season, so he might have their number.
Jordan Martinook: Points have been hard to come by for Martinook this season, and the injury to the captain might be a big part of it. However, he's coming off a two-assist night in Edmonton after going pointless for four games. Martinook doesn't have the best career numbers against St. Louis (4-2-6 in 21 games), but it was almost four years ago that he recorded his second career hat trick.
Juuso Valimaki: When he made his Canes debut on Tuesday in Vancouver, it was his first NHL game in almost 21 months. Then, he assisted on the team's first goal for his first point since January 18, 2025. On Thursday, he upped the ante by scoring his first goal since December 2024. While it didn't stand as the game-winner, it was a big moment. I think it's time for him to get a few more minutes.
Add us as a preferred source on Google