St. Louis Blues Hope to Avoid Elimination in Game 6 vs. San Jose Sharks

The St. Louis Blues will try to prolong their season as they face elimination in Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals.

For the third time during the 2015-16 postseason (but the first that doesn’t come in a Game 7), the St. Louis Blues face elimination as they return to San Jose to face the Sharks on Wednesday night. The Blues delivered poor performances in Game 6 of their two prior series with the Chicago Blackhawks and Dallas Stars, but it’s reasonable to argue that their three worst games of the postseason have come during their current series with the Sharks. Despite collecting wins in Games 1 and 4, the Blues failed to develop any offensive chemistry in Games 2, 3, and 5, and less-than-perfect goaltending performances from Brian Elliott and Jake Allen sealed the deal in the Sharks’ favor.

There’s been a common theme in the Sharks’ success; they’ve collected four power-play goals over the course of their three wins. They’ve gotten the Blues to commit senseless, unnecessary penalties, and they’ve imposed their will on the Blues’ penalty kill when given such opportunities. If the Sharks can get their power play on the ice again during Game 6, they’ll likely have a good chance to win.

The Blues will make at least one change in Game 6, as Brian Elliott will take over again as the starting goaltender, relieving Jake Allen, who was solid but unspectacular over the past two games. If you’re seeking a reason for optimism on Wednesday, consider that Elliott has allowed just three total goals in two elimination games this postseason, and his save percentage in those games is .954. With those stats in mind, it seems like the right move for Ken Hitchcock to allow “Moose” to determine his own fate (if the offense in front of him can create any opportunities, at least) this postseason.
Check out the next few pages to see what the Blues’ and Sharks’ lineups will look like on Wednesday:

Next: Blues Lineup