Blues Face Penguins in Crucial Matchup

Strategic Insights -

The St. Louis Blues are set to face the Pittsburgh Penguins at Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh, with a 6 p.m. start time on Wednesday. The Blues are on a three-game winning streak in Pittsburgh, with two of those games going into overtime and all of them decided by a single goal. This game will be a crucial test for the Blues, who are looking to extend their winning streak and maintain their position in the Metropolitan Division.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Blues have won three straight games in Pittsburgh, with two of those games going into overtime and all of them decided by a single goal.
  • David Backes is the only active Blue to have lost in Pittsburgh, with a defeat on October 20, 2009.
  • The Blues did not have a power play on Monday against Buffalo, marking the first time this season they have not had one in a game.
  • Jake Allen will start in goal for the Blues, marking his 14th appearance in the past 15 games and his 13th start.
  • Robby Fabbri has scored three goals this season, with two of them being game-winners.
  • Backes needs one point to tie Keith Tkachuk for seventh on the all-time Blues list.
  • The Blues have killed all three Buffalo power plays on Monday, giving up just one goal when down a man in the past five games.
  • Penguins have been off since Saturday's 3-1 loss to the Sharks and are now 3-4 in their past seven games.
  • Evgeni Malkin leads the Penguins in scoring with 17 points (seven goals, 10 assists) and offseason acquisition Phil Kessel has seven goals and seven assists.
  • Sidney Crosby has 11 points (three goals, eight assists) but is a minus-9.

Statistics:

  • The Blues have won three straight games against the Penguins, with a combined goal differential of 2-0, 3-2, and 3-2 in overtime.
  • Jake Allen has started in 13 of the Blues' last 14 games, with a record of 9-3 and a .917 save percentage.
  • Robby Fabbri has scored three goals this season, with two of them being game-winners, with a total of 11 shots on goal in those games.
  • The Blues' penalty kill has been on fire, killing all three Buffalo power plays and giving up just one goal when down a man in the past five games.

Sources:

  • St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Tom Timmermann
  • National Hockey League statistics and records
  • Associated Press (Gene J. Puskar)