Blues in For Rough Road

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The Blues resume their regular season Tuesday night in Phoenix following a two-week break to accommodate the NHL's participation in the Olympics. The matchup begins a critical six-game roadtrip for the Note that will continue through Dallas, Colorado, New York, Columbus and Minnesota.

Davis Payne's team is currently four points behind Calgary for the eighth and final playoff spot in the West. That will change, though, if Detroit wins tonight when visiting the Avalanche. A Red Wing victory would catapult Mike Babcock's team into eighth...five points ahead of the Blues.

The upcoming trip will be an immense challenge...even for a team that is an impressive 16-9-and-4 away from Scottrade Center this season. The Coyotes currently hold the fourth spot in the West and are 37-21-5. The Stars, whom the Blues face on Thursday, are ninth in the West, one point back of the Flames. Dallas is 28-21-12. Saturday the Note visits the Avalanche in Denver. Colorado is sixth in the West with an overall mark of 35-20-6.

The second week of the trip is less challenging. Next Thursday Payne's club skates against the Islanders who are currently six points out of a potential playoff spot in the East. New York is 25-29-8 with rookie John Tavares, the first player taken in the 2009 draft, providing some offense. Saturday March 13th the Blues meet the Blue Jackets who are 25-28-10...nine points out of a potential playoff spot. Sunday March 14th the trip concludes in St. Paul against the Wild who are currently 13th in the West but only five points out of a potential playoff spot.

The Blues next home game is Tuesday, March 16th against the Avs.

Needless to say the upcoming trek will have a lot to say about whether or not the Blues return home as a team still in the hunt for a postseason berth. They likely need to win at least four-of-the-six as most or all of the teams in front of them will play well as they had before the break.

Keep in mind the NHL's trade deadline hits on Wednesday at 2:00 Central. Today the Blues traded Peoria defenseman Danny Richmond and Rivermen goaltender Hannu Toivonen to the Blackhawks for 25-year old goalie Joe Fallon, a former sixth-round pick.

TPC