Everyone who is watching these bubble teams battle to the end of the season is saying the same things:
- The Blues have the most favorable schedule of them all to finish the season.
- The Predators have the toughest schedule of the bubble teams to finish the season
But there's the rub. It's only an easier schedule if you play like you have the last month and get the wins. Make those games look easy and it's a favorable schedule. Should the Blues, however, play like they did against Dallas against a scrappy and motivated to win their last home game Coyotes, they will be in big trouble.
What we know is that all of the Blues are saying all of the right things going into this game. They need to come out and play hard. They need to limit chances. they need to not grip their sticks too hard about making every little mistake. They need to get two points.
Unfortunately, that's exactly what they said before the Blackhawks game that they lost in decidedly unmotivating fashion and before the Stars game where they let the home team hang around and finally steal a precious point.
Tonight has to be different. Leave Phoenix without two points and Nashville will most certainly get two from Chicago.
For another perspective on the bubble race, check out the Battle Of Califonia's excellent breakdown (though we strongly feel that giving the world rock and roll versus living the life of a lion is hardly a 'push') and the panicky thread about the Predators/Blackhawks game (which for some reason keeps mentioning St. Louis) over at On The Forecheck.
What we know from Five For Howling is that the Coyotes' defense has been weak at best lately and that goalie Ilya Bryzgalov has been out for the last three games and should be fully rested. These two points seem to work against each other, which makes us think that the FFH guys think the Coyotes really need Bryzgalov to steal this game for them.
Get your drink of choice ready, prepare your fingernails for the worst and strap in, Blues fans. This is your game day thread.