San Jose Sharks vs St. Louis Blues preview: five reasons to be stoked for this matchup
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San Jose Sharks vs St. Louis Blues
Tonight the San Jose Sharks will go up against the St. Louis Blues. Typically on game mornings here at Blades of Teal we’ll do a “get to know the opponent” feature, giving fans a short glimpse at who and what the opposition brings to the table. We’re going to skip our usual format today because we’re just so darn excited for this hockey game.
When the schedules came out before the season, October 15 was immediately circled. This early-season matchup had the potential to be special, and it will cash in on that potential tonight.
Clash of the undefeated-eds
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We are barely more than three weeks into the NHL season, and there are only three teams left without a slash in the loss column. Two of those teams will meet tonight when the Sharks take on the Blues in St. Louis. If that isn’t enough to get you pumped up for this matchup, nothing will be.
Early on, these two squads has been crushing their opponents, both on the offensive side of the puck and the defensive side of things. The Blues and Sharks have both been parity-breakers, and watching them challenge each other tonight will be a joy.
Possible Western Conference Final preview
The West has several of the top teams in the league, and it’s no coincidence that the three remaining undefeated teams are all in the same conference. While the likes of the Los Angeles Kings and Chicago Blackhawks might have something to say about this being a WCF preview, it wouldn’t be surprising to see it all come down to the Sharks and Blues.
Especially if they continue to play like they have been.
Goals Galore
If you’re not a fan of the 2-1, low-scoring hockey game then you shouldn’t hesitate to tune in this evening. The Sharks have scored 24
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goals through their first five games, averaging 4.80 per game. They’re averaging 42 shots a game, and have taken more than 50 twice this season.
Right behind San Jose in average-goals-scored are the Blues, who are posting 4.75 after four contests. Who said that Ken Hitchcock teams don’t know how to score?
Big on big
Both the Sharks and Blues ice teams that are capable of playing heavy hockey. While St. Louis is typically grittier, the Sharks aren’t pushovers in the size department either. Joe Thornton and Brent Burns are big guys, and it will be a blast to see how they match up against David Backes and the rest of the Blues.
We wouldn’t be surprised to see some fireworks early as these two teams try to impose their respective will.
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Striving for perfection
It’s a special thing to be able to watch two unbeaten teams go at it in this stage of the season. The Sharks and Blues have dominated their opposition so far, and appear to be on a tier all of their own right now. Ties are dead and there can only be one king of the mountain though.
The drive and motivation to remain undefeated will be apparent on every shift, and we’re going to see something pretty close to playoff hockey throughout this game.