Open Thread: Colorado Avalanche vs. St. Louis Blues (7:00 p.m.)

It’s been 175 days since Darren Helm scored with just five seconds left in the third period of game six, effectively slaying the second-round boogie man for the Colorado Avalanche. Looking back it feels like beating the Blues, in that fashion, really encapsulates last season’s cup run.

The series itself was an absolute doozy for both sides. Early on it looked like Jordan Binnington could return to his cup-winning form before getting injured as a result of a net-front collision. A collision that momentarily set the hockey world on fire. A series that had already seen the heated exchange and inevitable extracurriculars, got even more emotional and tense.

Now the Blues are back. Nazem Kadri plays for the Calgary Flames. David Perron who was a common post-whistle shot taker following the Binnington injury is also dawning a new sweater in Detroit with the Red Wings. The perfect fit.

Projected Lineup:

Artturi Lehkonen — Nathan MacKinnon — Mikko Rantanen
Alex Newhook — Evan Rodriguez — Martin Kaut
Andrew Cogliano — J.T. Compher — Logan O’Connor
Dryden Hunt — Jayson Megna — Sampo Ranta

Devon Toews — Cale Makar
Jacob MacDonald — Josh Manson
Andreas Englund — Erik Johnson

Note: Valeri Nichushkin, Bowen Byram, Samuel Girard, and Kurtis MacDermid are all listed as “out” for tonight’s contest with both Gabriel Landeskog and Darren Helm still on injured reserve.

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