The Blues come home after a three-game road trip feeling pretty good. They just won back-to-back road games for the first time since November, after struggling away from home for much of the season.
Now they get rewarded with back-to-back home games, where they have dominated all season. It's a place where the Blues have collected at least one point in 17 straight games.
Here are a few news and notes to get you set for the Blues and Avalanche tonight from the Scottrade Center.
-Look for Brian Elliot to get the start in net. He relieved Jaro Halak in the last game and pitched a shutout the rest of the way, helping the Blues to a win in New Jersey. Elliot also notched shut out Colorado 4-0 back on January 7th.
-David Perron is heating up. 3 goals in his last 2 games. Looks like that shooting practice at the sporting goods store in Ottawa really helped his shooting touch.
-Chris Stewart and Patrik Berglund are two of the most streaky players on the team. They're both on the good side of that right now.
-Chris Porter is one of the most underrated players the Blues have in the organization. He's a hard worker and scores some big goals. I just hope the Blues will eventually make room for him to stay in St. Louis, because he deserves a chance to play on the 4th line on a nightly basis.
-The Blues must be careful with a desperate Colorado team fighting for a playoff spot. In addition, the Avalanche have been a thorn in the Blues side in the last few seasons. They seem to have the Blues' number. The key to winning tonight will be to get the first goal and get the crowd into the game early. Don't let the Avs build any confidence.
-Alex Steen has been ruled out against the Avalanche. This is a growing concern because he all but seemed ready to return after the All-Star break. Something seems fishy with his recovery from a concussion, almost as if he's regressing. My hope is that the team is being particularly careful with Steen because of his rough and gritty play. He battles in the dirty areas, like in the corners and the boards while getting hammered and cross-checked. The Blues want to make sure he can withstand that abuse when he comes back.
-In other concussion news, and much more positive news, multiple reports say Andy MacDonald will make his return to the Blues lineup Sunday against San Jose. MacDonald will be critical to the Blues lineup, and could determine if the Blues need to make a move at the trade deadline.
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