Avalanche at Blues
THE STORY: A cold January was the beginning of the end for St. Louis last season, but a hot start to 2012 indicates these may not be the same old Blues. St. Louis hosts the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday and has already matched its win total from the first month of 2011. The Blues were 20-12-5 and fifth in the Western Conference when the calendar flipped last season before a 2-8-2 January sent them plummeting to 13th in the conference. St. Louis started 2012 at 21-12-5 and is 2-0-0 following its 4-3 victory over Edmonton on Thursday. The Avalanche roll into St. Louis off a 4-0 victory at Chicago and have won four straight overall - and four straight on the road - to move into playoff position. Colorado has dominated St. Louis with nine wins in the last 10 meetings, including a pair of 3-2 victories at home in the first two encounters of the season.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, Altitude (Colorado), FS Midwest (St. Louis)
ABOUT THE AVALANCHE (23-18-1): T.J. Galiardi registered a Gordie Howe hat trick Friday, and the fight may have been the most impressive. After his goal and assist helped Colorado to a 2-0 lead, Galiardi later took offense to Dave Bolland’s attempt to hit David Jones high, and stood up for his teammate. Colorado won its first six games on the road this season before losing nine straight prior to its current run. Colorado is 2-2-0 in the second of back-to-back games.
ABOUT THE BLUES (23-12-5): St. Louis has an NHL-leading 16 wins at home and is 17-5-5 since Ken Hitchcock took over as coach, including 13-2-2 at the Scottrade Center. Defenseman Carlo Colaiacovo assisted on all three of the Blues’ third-period goals Thursday to match a single-game career high. Jaroslav Halak (9-7-5, 2.29, .911) is 6-0-3 in his last nine games and has started the past two. Nine of the Blues’ 11 games in January are at home.
OVERTIME:
1. Colorado is 7-0 in shootouts this season and has won 18 of its last 19 in the bonus format, while St. Louis is 0-5 in 2011-12.
2. The Blues are 7 for 21 on the power play in their last six games.
3. The Avalanche have the No. 1 power play on the road (27.6 percent).