The St. Louis Blues can be officially eliminated from playoff contention Saturday when they meet the Chicago Blackhawks at 4 p.m. at United Center in the fourth and final game of the season series. A regulation loss by St. Louis, or any win by the Los Angeles Kings, would end the Blues' postseason chase.
The Blues, 33-33-12, are seven points behind the Kings with four games remaining after losing 3-1 to the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday and 3-2 to the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday. Chicago, 28-37-14, has already been knocked out for the sixth straight season, but it has won two of the three meetings this year, including a 7-3 home win over St. Louis on Jan. 7.
That makes Saturday more about pride than positioning for the Blues, and defenseman Colton Parayko said the chance to keep playing for St. Louis still matters. He called it a privilege to play in the NHL and said it is even more special to wear the Bluenote, adding that after 11 years he does not take that lightly. He said showing up for the jersey would be easy.
St. Louis at least arrives with a few players carrying the attack. Robert Thomas extended his point streak to seven games and has 28 points in his last 20 games played, while Dylan Holloway had a goal and an assist Thursday and has 13 points in his past eight games and 28 points in his past 21 games. Jim Montgomery called Thomas one of the NHL's top players in March for a second straight year and said Holloway has been energizing the team.
The Blues are also adjusting the lineup, planning to replace Jack Finley and Nathan Walker with Pius Suter and Oskar Sundqvist on the fourth line. The changes come with the standings tightening and the clock working against St. Louis, while Chicago gets one more crack at a division rival it has already beaten convincingly once this season.
