ST. PAUL, Minn. — The St. Louis Blues took to the ice on Saturday night facing off against the Minnesota Wild, aiming for redemption after their recent struggles. With the playoffs looming, this match was pivotal for both teams as they navigated their respective paths toward postseason positioning.
Coming off a disappointing loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Blues sought to shake off their recent form. Goalie Jordan Binnington had struggled significantly, allowing four goals before being replaced by Joel Hofer during their 5-3 defeat against the Penguins just two days earlier. Despite outshooting Pittsburgh 36-22 and scoring two power play goals, the Blues knew they had to capitalize on their chances if they hoped to claim victory over the Wild.
The matchup held extra significance as it was the final encounter of the season between the two Central Division rivals, with the Wild leading the season series 3-0. The stakes were high, as both teams were fighting for playoff spots. The Wild were firmly positioned as the leading wild card team in the Western Conference, though they faced their own challenges, entering the game with a lackluster 2-3-1 record since the start of March.
With the ice under their skates still feeling fresh, the Blues quickly established their presence. Brayden Schenn opened the scoring just 4:17 minutes in, giving St. Louis the early lead. Jake Neighbours followed up midway through the second period, extending the lead to two. Not long after, Jordan Kyrou took center stage, knocking in the rebound of Schenn's shot to make it 3-0 with 7:38 remaining in the second.
The Wild didn’t remain silent for long; Jake Middleton cut the deficit to 3-1 only 25 seconds later, capitalizing on Hofer's defensive misplay. Yet, Kyrou proved resilient, scoring again with 8:30 left to solidify the Blues' lead before turning the lights out on Minnesota with his empty-net goal, marking the first hat trick of his career.
“I just saw the net open and I took my chance,” Kyrou said. This impressive performance lifted him to his 27th goal of the season, making him one of only three St. Louis players to notch 25 goals or more for four consecutive seasons, joining the ranks of legends like Brett Hull and Vladimir Tarasenko.
Even with their struggles, the Wild, led by their goalie Filip Gustavsson, remained firm but couldn’t overcome the Blues’ offensive barrage. Gustavsson managed 22 saves but was under constant pressure, which took its toll as the game progressed.
For St. Louis, this victory marked their seventh win out of their last ten games, improving their record to 31 wins alongside the tough competition for the wild card spots. “We know we have to play harder as we head toward the playoffs,” Schenn commented. “Losing games right now is simply not an option.”
On the other side, Minnesota faced reality as they absorbed their third loss out of five games, bringing them down to 3-6-1 over their last ten outings. “It’s frustrating to be on the wrong side of close games,” said Wild coach Dean Evason. “We need to tighten things up as we head down the stretch.”
Looking forward, the Blues will host the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday, March 16, 2025, hoping to maintain their momentum, and the Wild will prepare for the Los Angeles Kings the following day, March 17, 2025.
This matchup served as both a reminder of the stakes at hand and the competitive nature of the NHL as teams jostle for playoff positioning. With just weeks left in the regular season, every game holds the weight of destiny, motivating franchises to put their best foot forward.
The Blues and Wild demonstrated the quintessential nature of rivalry games, where statistics and past performances often take a backseat to the desire to clinch victory at any cost.