Life on the road begins tonight for the Blues, and they have the chance to set the tone for the rest of their season, which will be primarily played away from home.
Here's 3 reasons why they need a win tonight in Nashville, because it's more than just another game.
How About Some Breathing Room
The 9-day All-Star break has left the Blues with game in-hand on virtually every team in the Western Conference, especially in their own division. The Blues have 1 more point than Nashville with 2 less game. A win IN REGULATION tonight will create a little more breathing room and separation between the Blues and Predators, and the Blues would still have those 2 games in-hand.
Road Confidence
Everyone in that locker room is aware of how challenging this final stretch of the season will be and just how much time will be spent on the road. So it would drastically boost the team's confidence on the road if they can get this first win on the road, and as an added bonus, against a division rival that's right on their heels.
Eastern Dominance
The Nashville game is the first of a three-game mini road trip, which will continue in Ottawa and then New Jersey. The Blues are the only team in the NHL without a regulation loss to an Eastern Conference team this season. If they beat Nashville, they stand a good chance to potentially sweep the three-game trip.
It may sound cliche, but the Blues simply have to approach the rest of the season in segments and not as a whole. If they take it one game or one series of games at a time, they will be far less overwhelmed over what's looming in two or three weeks. They need to focus on the game in Nashville tonight, as I'm sure they're doing.
Perhaps the biggest key will be to start the game strong and weather the storm when Nashville hits their stride. The fans in Nashville can get loud and become the 6th man for the Preds, but the Blues can minimize the damage by controlling the play. They certainly have the defense and goaltending to do that.
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