BLUES VS. STARS
When: Monday, Nov. 28 at 7 p.m. CT
Where: Enterprise Center in St. Louis, MO
Watch: Bally Sports Midwest, Bally Sports app
Listen: 101 ESPN, Blues App, KSPQ 93.9 FM
Tickets: Online at ticketmaster.com
TEAM SNAPSHOTS
BLUES The St. Louis Blues delivered what may have been their most impressive win of the season on Saturday night in Florida. Facing a 4-1 deficit with just over 11 minutes remaining in regulation, the Blues scored four unanswered goals to tie the game and win in overtime. The win came at a difficult point in the schedule, the second half of a back-to-back and end of a three-game Thanksgiving road trip.
Jordan Kyrou scored the game winner, getting set up for a breakaway by Torey Krug and using his speed and skill the rest of the way to beat the Panthers in extra time.
“We didn’t want to let this – down by however many goals it is – affect us and just quit,” said Kyrou. “We said, ‘let’s go out there and let’s play’ – it was a crazy comeback.”
Kyrou extended his point streak to a career-high eight games in Florida, and Pavel Buchnevich extended his to six games. Since Kyrou’s point streak began on Nov. 14, he (13), Buchnevich (12) and Robert Thomas (10) share first, third and fourth-most points in the NHL, respectively as of Sunday afternoon.
After having played seven games in 11 nights, the Blues look to take advantage of a slightly less dense schedule in the coming weeks. They’ll host the Dallas Stars and Carolina Hurricanes this week for a two-game homestand before hitting the road for three games back in Eastern Conference territory.
The Blues host the Stars with a record of 11-10-0, worth 22 points and fourth place in the Central Division.
STARS The Dallas Stars have been one of the best teams in the NHL this season, surging to a hot start off of some impressive goaltending and superstar-level play from forward Jason Robertson.
As of Sunday afternoon, the Stars are No. 2 in the Western Conference and No. 6 in the NHL’s overall standings.
Robertson, drafted in the second round of the 2017 NHL Draft, has been the main driver this season, recording 35 points – No. 2 in the League – in 22 games to start the year. His active 15-game point streak is the second longest in the League to Toronto’s Mitchell Marner (16 games).
Signed to a four-year, $31 million contract extension this summer, Robertson is breaking out in a big way at age 23 after scoring 79 points in 74 games last year.
Though he has cooled off some in recent games, goaltender Jake Oettinger’s hot start also propelled the Stars. Oettinger began the season 5-1-0 with seven goals allowed in total and a .960 save percentage.
Dallas is coming off two consecutive Central Division losses, falling 5-4 in overtime against Winnipeg and 4-1 in Colorado. They bring first place in the division with them to St. Louis, now with 28 points at a record of 12-6-4.
HEAD-TO-HEAD The Blues went 3-1-0 against the division-rival Stars a year ago, including a dramatic comeback win in Dallas last January. The Blues are 7-1-1 in their last nine regular-season games against the Stars.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
BLUES Ryan O’Reilly, who led the team with seven shots on goal as he added two points to Saturday’s comeback win. O’Reilly recorded three points across four games vs. Dallas last year.
STARS Jason Robertson, on the second-longest point streak in Stars history and longest since the franchise’s relocation to Dallas in 1993. Robertson’s 18 goals lead the NHL this year, including seven in his last five games.
BLUE NOTES
The Blues overcame a three-goal third period deficit to win for the third time in franchise history (Dec. 14, 2019 vs. Chicago and Nov. 29, 2000 at Toronto)… In addition to the Blues, the Oilers also recorded a three-goal third period comeback win on Saturday at the New York Rangers, marking just the sixth time in NHL history that two different teams earned a three-goal third period comeback victory on the same day… Jordan Binnington remains one win shy of 100 for his career, currently No. 6 in Blues franchise history.
