GDT 67: 3/3/20 | 6:00 PM CT | @ Rangers | FSMW/101ESPN

[theohall]

One seven-game winning streak is difficult to attain, a second seven-game run during the same season is unlikely and a third winning streak of that length in the same season is unprecedented.

At least it is for the St. Louis Blues, who put their seven-game winning streak on the line Tuesday night when they visit the New York Rangers.

The Rangers' recent surge into playoff contention encountered a pair of speed bumps against the Philadelphia Flyers.

The Blues put together their first seven-game winning streak from Oct. 27-Nov. 9 and then went 6-5-3 in their next 14 games. Then they strung together eight straight wins from Dec. 12-29 before following it up with a 6-9-4 stretch that included a five-game losing streak immediately before this run began with a 3-0 home win over the New Jersey Devils on Feb. 18.

It is the first time in team history the Blues have put together three winning streaks of at least seven games and this run has vaulted St. Louis to a slim lead over Colorado for first place in the Central Division.

St. Louis has four one-goal wins in this streak, including the last three.

The latest was Saturday's 4-3 home win over Dallas when Ryan O'Reilly scored the only goal in the shootout after St. Louis allowed the tying goal with 19 seconds left in regulation. David Perron, Tyler Bozak and Brayden Schenn scored for the Blues, who are outscoring foes 26-12 in this run.

"I think that our team knows how to win," Blues coach Craig Berube said. "You win seven, eight in a row three times, it means you're winning games where you're probably not playing your best hockey. It's hard to play really good hockey every night. You've got to find ways to win games without playing your best game. We've done a pretty good job of that."

The Rangers won nine of 12 games to get into contention but are coming off two ugly losses to Philadelphia, which outscored them 10-5 in a home-and-home sweep. New York enters four points behind Columbus for the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference and is hoping to avoid three straight losses for the first time since Dec. 31-Jan 4.

Since its last three-game skid, the Rangers are 16-8-0 in their last 24 games. After winning five in a row from Feb. 19-27, New York absorbed a 5-2 loss Friday in Philadelphia and a 5-3 home loss on Sunday.

Mika Zibanejad scored two power-play goals Sunday and has 10 of his career-high 32 goals in the last 11 games. Artemi Panarin collected two assists Sunday and has five goals and 14 assists during a career-high 13-game points streak that is the longest by a Ranger since Scott Gomez also had a 13-game streak from Dec. 6, 2007-Jan. 2, 2008.

"We have a lot of games left," Zibanejad said. "Obviously it wasn't good enough in some areas. We have to tighten things up and get (back) to playing the way we can."

Henrik Lundqvist started for the first time since Feb. 3 on Sunday but Alexandar Georgiev is expected to get the nod on Tuesday. He started the first three games that Igor Shesterkin missed following his car accident on Feb. 23.

[glen a richter]

Don’t play down to the opponent. Rangers are short handed without their future franchise goalie and their next captain Kreider. But they’re fighting for a playoff seed and they won’t be an easy win.

Stay out of the box again, keep an eye on D’Angelo. He’s going to be a good one for the Rangers for a long time.

[gaijin]

The Avs won again last night (their 7th in a row), so the Blues need to keep their own streak going.

[ibldbl]

Do you guys see the game on FSMW? Here in KC the guide says its the Blues game, but they are showing tennis.

[ibldbl]

Do you guys see the game on FSMW? Here in KC the guide says its the Blues game, but they are showing tennis.

Found it. I think they switched with tennis. Its on the channel that shows tennis is supposed to be on.

[ibldbl]

Why is Faulk on the PK? That goal against was on him.

[Robb_K]

Lacklustre game so far. The Blues had better score first. But they have to kill off this penalty first. - But they don't. Rangers score quickly.

[glen a richter]

Trash penalty kill. Something to work on ASAP.

[ibldbl]

GET FAULK OFF THE PK!!!!

[glen a richter]

Obviously the philosophy is take more penalties so you have more chances to work on the PK.

[theohall]

RHD for the PK - Pietrangelo, Faulk, Parayko, or Bortuzzo. Only running 2 LD (Scandella and Dunn) tonight which is an issue, IMO. No Gunnarson. Dunn isn't a PK d-man... so that's a problem only having one LD PKer. Which means one of the righties listed is on the PK playing the wrong side.

Coaching decisions about which d-men play impacts things in games. That PK GA is one of them.

Screaming "GET FAULK OFF THE PK" doesn't fix the lack of LHD available for this game especially with one of the four RHD in the penalty box.

If Bortuzzo isn't in the box the PK dmen are likely Pietrangelo, Parayko, Scandella and Bortuzzo. Have to replace Bortz with someone and Dunn isn't trusted defensively.

[theohall]

I could beat this drum as much as I want to, but the Blues using balanced D - (3 right, 3 left) were 7-0. Unbalanced and they are having issues vs the flipping Rangers.

[Robb_K]

Great play by Parayko picking off the deflected pass and burying it by Georgiyev!!!! Blues tie it up at 1!!!!

[glen a richter]

Don't sleep on the Rags. Their rebuild is well ahead of schedule and if not for two key injuries they'd be in the conversation to come out of the east.

[glen a richter]

Another penalty

[ibldbl]

That's one way to keep Faulk off the PK.

[theohall]

I strongly suspect even if someone else committed the penalty, the PK would've been the same 4 defenseman as on the kill when Faulk was in the box - Pietro/Parayko and Bortz/Scandella. Bortz can't take penalties.

[Robb_K]

Great defensive play by Bortuzzo on Zibanijad!

[Robb_K]

Better 2nd Period than The First. The Blues were a lot more into the game. They need to come out at the beginning of The 3rd, playing like they want to win this game badly. They need to put some distance between themselves and Colorado, as the 2 teams are essentially tied.

[ibldbl]

What a wraparound! Schenn with the go ahead goal!