Predators’ slump gives the Blues a chance in the Central

It looked like the Nashville Predators were well out of reach from the St. Louis Blues in the Central. Even as the Blues rattled off win after win, the Predators seemed to be able to match every point earned by the Blues. Thanks to the joy of NHL scheduling, the two teams completed their regular season series back in January which meant the mountain would be that much tougher to climb.

Then the Predators started slumping. Oh and what a perfectly timed slump it is! First, the Preds lost at home against the Wild. They followed that up with another loss at home to the Red Wings. Then the Predators hit the road and lost to the Rangers. Surely they wouldn’t lose in New Jersey though, right? Wrong. The loss to the Devils brought the slump to four games and allowed the Blues to creep to within four points of the top spot in the Central with two games in hand.

As the saying goes, there’s a lot of time left. However, it’s pretty remarkable how one week can change the shape of the playoff picture. The Predators looked like they were going to run away with things, but one four-game slide changed that in a hurry. Trailing by just four points and having games in hand, the Blues are in a prime spot to take over the leading spot in the Central.

Here’s how things look the rest of the way.

Games Left
Blues: 19
Predators: 17

Home/Road Split
Blues: 9 home games, 10 road games
Predators: 9 home games, 8 road games

As far as strength of schedule down the stretch, PlayoffStatus.com shows that the Preds and Blues will head down nearly identical paths before the playoffs. That will change as the standings change, but there’s no distinct advantage for either club at this time.

At the very least, the Blues close out the year with their final three games at home. The Preds finish out with two of their last three games on the road.

Simply put, if the Blues keep scooping up points they should be able to win the Central. The Blues’ destiny is still firmly in their control, but the Predators dropping points of late certainly helps.