BLUESThe St. Louis Blues are looking to bounce back from a 4-1 loss to the Calgary Flames when they host the Tampa Bay Lightning for Saturday's Hall of Fame game.
Two games into a seven-game homestand, the Blues will look to improve their season home record over the long stretch at Enterprise Center. Their 8-9-2 record on home ice ranks No. 26 in the NHL this season, down from their Top-10 standing last year. With the final four games in the homestand - and the next two - coming against teams currently outside the playoff picture, the Blues have an opportunity to build steam heading towards the All-Star break.
Though they fell to Calgary on Thursday, the Blues continue to see encouraging results from their young players playing up in the absence of several key veterans. Jake Neighbours' third-period goal was the latest example, building off momentum with other young Blues. Neighbours (20 years old), Nikita Alexandrov (22) and Alexey Toropchenko (22) have combined for 10 points in their last six games.
The veterans and young players alike will have to be at their best when they take on the Bolts, winners of 11 of their last 15 games.
The Blues will suit up on Saturday with a record is 21-19-3, worth 45 points and fourth place in the Central Division as of Friday afternoon.
LIGHTNINGLooking to separate from the rest of the Atlantic Division, the Tampa Bay Lightning have won their last two games as they kick off a five-game road trip in St. Louis.
Scoring 11 goals against the Columbus Blue Jackets and Vancouver Canucks in a two-game homestand, the Lightning saw an NHL-high six points from Nikita Kucherov this week and another four from Steven Stamkos.
Kucherov - selected to represent the Lightning at All-Star Weekend - continues to drive the Lightning's offense, his 61 points this season only trailing Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl for the League lead. After playing just 47 games last season due to injury, Kucherov trails his 2021-22 regular season total by only eight points.
Tampa Bay continues their road trip out West following Saturday's game, with the red-hot Seattle Kraken next on the horizon on Monday.
The three-time defending Eastern Conference champions face the Blues with a record of 26-13-1, worth 53 points and third place in the Atlantic Division.
HEAD-TO-HEADTaking on the Lightning after they honor legends of the franchise, the Blues look to even the season series after falling 5-2 in Tampa on Nov. 25. The Blues are are 8-1-0 in their last nine home games against the Lightning, including a thrilling shootout win last year.
