San Jose Sharks: Week ahead includes dates with Los Angeles Kings, St. Louis Blues and Anaheim Ducks

Friday, November 29: St. Louis Blues

Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

Don’t let the 4 pm ET start time fool you. This matinee has “playoff atmosphere” written all over it. Odds are good that the road to the Stanley Cup Final will lead through either St. Louis or San Jose, and these two squads could very well end up meeting in the second or third round of the playoffs.

That fact won’t be lost on either team has they prepare for this game. St. Louis will be coming off of games against the Colorado Avalanche and Minnesota Wild and will have a night off before heading to San Jose. So both squads will be rested and will have their respective No. 1 goalies in net (presumably).

The Blues are one of the two hottest teams in hockey over their last 10 games and they have been thrashing some pretty good groups along the way. While the Dallas Stars might not be a Stanley Cup contender, they’re a solid team and the Blues steamrolled them 6-1. This is a mean and versatile team that will be an outstanding test for the Sharks.

Win this one and it’ll get the attention of the rest of the league. The Blues have been a locomotive lately, and San Jose has what it takes to stop it.