Blues Secure Stanley Cup Playoff Spot, Face Jets

The St. Louis Blues have clinched a spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2022 following a decisive 6-1 victory over the Utah Hockey Club, finishing the regular season with 96 points. Securing the second wild-card position in the Western Conference, they are set to face the Presidents' Trophy-winning Winnipeg Jets in the first round. The Blues have experienced a remarkable turnaround after a slow start, boasting a 19-4-3 record in their final 26 games, including a franchise-record 12-game winning streak. Key players include 25-year-old center Robert Thomas, who scored 81 points this season, and rookie Jimmy Snuggerud, who netted his first NHL goal during the clinching game. Meanwhile, the Minnesota Wild also secured a playoff position, defeating the Anaheim Ducks in overtime to clinch the top wild-card spot. The Blues aim to avoid a three-year playoff drought, which would have matched the franchise's longest span without postseason play.