Game Notes: April 9 vs. Colorado

The Blues will face the Avalanche in the 2016-17 regular season finale tonight. St. Louis is coming off a 5-4 shootout win in Carolina last night, a result that clinched third in the Central Division and a first-round date with the Minnesota Wild. The Blues are 3-0-1 against the Avalanche this season, outscoring them 13-4 overall (excluding shootout goals). St. Louis has points in eight straight in this series (5-0-3) and have gone 10-2-0 in their last 12 home games. This season, the Blues have dominated the Avs at home, going 2-0-0 and outscoring them 8-2. A couple of points tonight and the Blues will hit the 99-point mark for the 10th time in franchise history.

What to Watch

The Blues are likely to rest some key players ahead of the postseason. Vladimir Sobotka, however, could make his season debut. Blues fans may also get a look at Chris Butler, who was recalled from the Chicago Wolves under emergency conditions this morning. Butler, a native of St. Louis, has posted 25 points in 69 games as captain of the Wolves this season.

Milestones

Kyle Brodziak - 4 shy of 400 career PIM
Carl Gunnarsson - 7 shy of 100 career assists
Jori Lehtera - 1 shy of 100 career points
Jay Bouwmeester - 4 shy of 100 PIM as a Blue / 9 shy of 100 points as a Blue / 9 shy of 400 career points
Magnus Paajarvi - 8 shy of 100 career points
Nail Yakupov - 9 shy of 300 career games
Robert Bortuzzo - 9 shy of 100 games as a Blue
Scottie Upshall - 4 shy of 700 career games
Ryan Reaves - 5 shy of 700 career penalty minutes

Quick Hits

• Alex Pietrangelo ranks second in points among defensemen (18) since Kevin Shattenkirk was dealt to Washington
• Jake Allen has gone 4-0-1 with a 0.91 GAA and a .967 SV% (1 SO) over his last five starts against Colorado
• Ryan Reaves has a goal in consecutive games for the second time in his career
• Vladimir Sobotka posted a career-high 33 points in his most recent NHL season

50th Anniversary Throwback Note

On this day in 1986, St. Louis' Cliff Ronning picked up an assist in his first NHL game as the Blues beat the North Stars 2-1 at Minnesota, in Game 1 of the Norris Division Semi-Finals