Matchup Overview
In an engaging clash set for Thursday night at 8 p.m. EST, the St. Louis Blues, sitting at the bottom of the Central Division with a record of 19-25-9, will face off against the Florida Panthers, who currently hold a stronger 28-21-3 mark in the Atlantic Division. This matchup unfolds at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis, where the Blues have managed to achieve a home record of 12-10-6 this season.
Recent Performance
The recent performance of the Blues has been shaky, coming off a narrow 4-3 defeat against the Dallas Stars where Brayden Schenn notably netted two goals. Their statistics reveal a concerning -51 goal differential, having conceded 180 goals while scoring only 129 this season.
Conversely, the Panthers have demonstrated better form, particularly on the road with a record of 14-10-0. They rank third in the NHL for total penalties, with 244 infractions this season, averaging roughly 4.7 penalties per game. In their previous encounter this season, the Blues emerged victorious with a decisive 6-2 win over the Panthers, led by Jake Neighbours, who scored twice.
Key Players
Both squads bring key players into this matchup; for St. Louis, Jordan Kyrou leads the team with 11 goals and 13 assists, while Schenn has contributed three goals and two assists in his last 10 games. On the other side, Florida’s Sam Reinhart has been a standout, tallying 26 goals and 24 assists this season, while Sam Bennett has notched five goals and five assists over his last 10 games.
Recent Form
Recent form shows the Blues struggling, with a 2-7-1 record in their last ten games, averaging 2.2 goals and yielding 3.4 per match. Meanwhile, the Panthers have fared better with a 6-4-0 record during the same stretch, scoring an average of 2.9 goals and allowing 3.2 per game.
Conclusion
As the two teams prepare to clash once again, neither has reported any injuries ahead of this competition, setting the stage for an intriguing battle on the ice.
