Blues clinch playoff berth thanks to balanced scoring, emergence of Husso

The St. Louis Blues clinched a berth in the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs when they
defeated the Minnesota Wild 6-5
in overtime Saturday.

The Blues qualified for the playoffs for the fourth straight season and 10th in the past 11. They have lost in the first round in each of the past two seasons after winning the Stanley Cup for the first time in 2019.
The Blues could have four players averaging a point per game by the end of the season. Vladimir Tarasenko (73 points; 32 goals, 41 assists), Robert Thomas (72 points; 18 goals, 54 assists), Pavel Buchnevich (68 points; 27 goals, 41 assists) and Jordan Kyrou (65 points; 23 goals, 42 assists) are all within reach of achieving the feat as part of St. Louis' balanced offense.
The Blues are fourth in the NHL in goals per game at 3.68; they are 10th in goals against at 2.81.
Special teams have been strong for St. Louis this season. The Blues are second in the NHL on the power play at 26.4 percent and sixth on the penalty kill at 83.6 percent.
Goalie Ville Husso has stepped in and wrestled the starting role away from Jordan Binnington, going 24-6-5 with a 2.44 goals-against average and .923 save percentage, which ranks fifth in the League.
The Blues are on a season-long eight-game winning streak and their point streak of 11 games is also a season best.
St. Louis added defenseman Nick Leddy (Detroit Red Wings) at the 2022 NHL Trade Deadline, providing a veteran presence and a Cup winner (2013 with the Chicago Blackhawks).
Here's a look at the Blues' path to a playoff berth:
Most Valuable Player:Husso, who was projected as the backup to Binnington but has taken the starting job and stabilized the position when the Blues needed it most in his second season.
Unsung Hero: Ivan Barbashev, who played a checking role on the fourth line in 2019, has provided an offensive boost this season with NHL career highs in goals (24), assists (30) and points (54). He had two power-play points in five seasons entering this season but has 13 (four goals, nine assists) this season.

Memorable Moment: The Blues played in the 2022 NHL Discover Winter Classic for the second time against the Minnesota Wild at Target Field on Jan. 1 and came away with a 6-4 win. Kyrou had four points (two goals, two assists) to lead the Blues, but their memorable moment was their selection of beach gear outfits upon arrival in sub-zero temperatures that included flip-flop sandals, tank top shorts, shorts and sunglasses.
Key Number: seven. The number of players that have scored 20 goals or more, including Tarasenko, Buchnevich, David Perron (25), Kyrou, Barbashev, Brayden Schenn (22) and Brandon Saad (22). It's the most in any Blues season since they had 10 such goal-scorers in 1980-81.

Question Mark: Defense. The Blues, although adequate in goals allowed, are tied for 17th (with the Vancouver Canucks) in shots against at 31.8. They have allowed four or more goals in a game this season 24 times.
Reason Blues Can Win It All: Experience and scoring depth. The Blues have skaters on their third and fourth lines with 20 or more goals and can roll them at any time. They have nine skaters that were part of the Cup-winning team in 2019 and the same coaching staff led by Craig Berube.