Game Preview: Former Divisional Foes Reunite When Jordan Kyrou And The Blues Visit Patrik Laine And The Blue Jackets

ST. LOUIS BLUES
28-31-5 (61 points; .477%) ROSTER / SCHEDULE
7:00 P.M. – SATURDAY, MARCH 11 NATIONWIDE ARENA COLUMBUS, OHIO
TELEVISION: Bally Sports Ohio ESPN+ (Out of Market)
PROJECTIONS:
ODDS OF CBJ WIN PER MONEYPUCK: 48%
ODDS OF CBJ WIN PER THE 538: 48%
CAESAR'S SPORTSBOOK: STL -115

In advance of a five-game, nearly two-week long road trip, the Columbus Blue Jackets hit home ice one last time for their annual hosting of the St. Louis Blues.

The Blues make just one trip per season to Nationwide Arena now, but they're no stranger to Columbus. For the first 13 seasons of their existence, the Blue Jackets were in the NHL's Central Division alongside the Blues. In all, Columbus has a 33-41-3-13 record against St. Louis in 90 total meetings.

One of those losses came in October when the two foes met in St. Louis in their first meeting of the season. The loss sent the Blue Jackets to an 0-3-0 start and was an early sign of things to come.

Here's what to know when the two struggling teams meet up Saturday night:

TALKING POINTS: BLUES

• St. Louis' aforementioned win over the Blue Jackets was the season opener for the Blues, and their first of three straight victories to start the season. But things have not gone their way since. With a 28-31-5 record, they're out of playoff contention and have traded many key players, including Vladimir Tarasenko, Ryan O'Reilly, and Ivan Barbashev.
   
• In the last ten games, the Blues have won just two games. Both victories were over the San Jose Sharks. During the 2-6-2 stretch, St. Louis' power play has converted on just three of 38 opportunities. Hard to win games when scoring on the man-advantage is occurring at a 7.8% clip — just ask the Blue Jackets.
   
• There are still bright spots for the Blues, though. Jordan Kyrou leads the team in goals (26) and points (57) at age 24, and could break his career-high point total of 75 from last season. He also has the lone St. Louis hat trick of the season.
   
• The Blues team save percentage is .895, one of the few teams lower than Columbus' .898 mark in the same category. Get shots on goals against them, and three or four goals should be in store. The Blues have allowed three or more goals in nine of the last 10 games and have given up at least two goals in 23 straight games. 

TALKING POINTS: CBJ

• No Elvis Merzlikins in the short-term for the Blue Jackets, as he is away from the team and has returned home to Latvia to tend to a family emergency. Daniil Tarasov is up from Cleveland, and Hutchinson-Tarasov seems to be the 1-2 punch for at least the next few games.
   
• Merzlikins left Tuesday's game with an illness after the first period. When he exited the game, the Blue Jackets were up 3-0. They went up 4-0 before eventually losing to the Pittsburgh Penguins in overtime, 5-4. Depending on how the schedule shakes out next season, Columbus has a very real chance of going eight calendar years without a win in the Steel City.
   
• Patrik Laine is on a heater again and is sure to draw eyes from the St. Louis defense. He has goals in three straight games. Vegas oddsmakers like Laine's chance to pick up at least one point Saturday: he's -215 odds to do so are the best of anyone on the Columbus roster.

PROJECTED CBJ LINES
Updated: 7:05 a.m. // Subject to Change