There are 82 games for each team during the regular season in the NHL and while not all of them are ones to mark on the calendar, there are a few true fans simply cannot miss. The St. Louis Blues have a number of games to keep an eye on.
Whether it’s a battle against a huge rival or a trip down memory lane, these are the three games you must have a seat in Scottrade Center for this season.
November 9th: Blues Host Hawks
The St. Louis Blues’ rivalry with the Chicago Blackhawks is one of the most volatile in the league and it makes for great hockey. These two teams are aggressive toward one another, they fight, hit and claw their way in those 60 minutes of regulation to come out the winner.
Last playoffs the Blues and Hawks met in the first round. Since St. Louis had earned second in the Central Division to Chicago’s third it seemed as if they had a slight advantage. However, the regular season has little implication for what the postseason holds and the two teams had a highly entertaining series.
In the end St. Louis won Game 7 by a 3-2 margin and eliminated the defending Stanley Cup Champions for their own shot at a cup.
This game is the first time the two teams will meet in the Gateway City this season, so it’s obviously a hot ticket.
Even with a few key players no longer with the Blues, this game is one any true fan has to find tickets for.
November 28th/January 7th: Blues vs. Stars
The animosity between the Dallas Stars and the St. Louis Blues is one that has grown throughout the last year or so. Last season the Stars won one more game than the Blues to edge them out for the Central Division Title.
St. Louis then eliminated Dallas in the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs at American Airlines Center by an embarrassing score of 6-1.
That kind of elimination is one that calls for an explosive rematch with revenge on the mind. For the Stars, the match-ups against the Blues will be easy, exciting games to get up for because they have something to prove.
Dallas wants to show that they aren’t a team that can be walked over and beating the Blues, who won four of five match-ups last regular season, is part of that.
All of that and the pure entertainment factor of the Stars makes both times they’re in St. Louis must-see games.
February 4th: Blues Host Defending Champs
The 2016 Stanley Cup Champion Pittsburgh Penguins will play in Scottrade Center on February 4, 2017. Although there isn’t much of a rivalry between the Blues and Penguins, anytime the defending champions come to town is a hot ticket.
The Penguins have achieved what the Blues long for. They are the standard to which the rest of the league compares themselves at the moment and that’s a big reason why this game is so sought after.
St. Louis is hoping to work their way towards a deep playoff run in 2017 and the only way to do that is to prepare now. That means playing well against teams that have recently hoisted Lord Stanley, particularly the Penguins.
Season Ahead
Although the 41 home games that the St. Louis Blues will have in the 2016-17 season are all good ones to attend, these match-ups are the ones to look out for specifically.
If you can get your hands on a seat to any of the aforementioned games, you certainly won’t be disappointed.
What game do you consider the one you must go to at Scottrade Center? Leave your thoughts in the comments.