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Blues Hope to Continue Home Ice Advantage

The St. Louis Blues are hoping to take advantage of home ice advantage to prolong their first-round series with the Winnipeg Jets.

Jacob Punturi

Apr 30, 2025; Winnipeg, Manitoba, CAN; St. Louis Blues forward Nathan Walker (26) and St. Louis Blues forward Alexey Toropchenko (13) jostle for position with Winnipeg Jets defenseman Dylan Samberg (54) and Winnipeg Jets defenseman Neal Pionk (4) during the third period in game five of the first round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Canada Life Centre. Mandatory Credit: Terrence Lee-Imagn Images
Apr 30, 2025; Winnipeg, Manitoba, CAN; St. Louis Blues forward Nathan Walker (26) and St. Louis Blues forward Alexey Toropchenko (13) jostle for position with Winnipeg Jets defenseman Dylan Samberg (54) and Winnipeg Jets defenseman Neal Pionk (4) during the third period in game five of the first round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Canada Life Centre. Mandatory Credit: Terrence Lee-Imagn Images / Terrence Lee-Imagn Images
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In the first-round series between the St. Louis Blues and Winnipeg Jets, there's been one consistent thread. The home team wins. The home team is 5-0 through the first five games of their opening-round matchup.

The Blues, trailing 3-2 in the series, are hoping that trend continues for Game 6. The series returns to St. Louis for the final time with the Blues on the verge of elimination.

In Games 3 and 4, the Blues were electric. They decimated the Jets in Game 3 by a final score of 7-2 and followed it up with another drubbing of Winnipeg. In the two contests, the Blues scored 12 goals in total on 52 shots as they swarmed the Jets' defense and goaltending.

What should give St. Louis hope is that they've been in it the entire series, despite trailing. They've executed their offensive plan effectively, averaging nearly four goals per game in the series. They've converted on over 30% of their power play opportunities as well, and it's all added up to rattling the crease of Jets starting goalie Connor Hellebuyck.

The Jets, meanwhile, will be trying to reverse this trend in Game 6. The Presidents' Trophy winner was the best team in the regular season, but they've yet to reach that same level in the first round. A commanding victory on the road would be an excellent step toward reaching that level again. It would also put them back on the path toward a Stanley Cup championship.

Home ice advantage has never been on display more in the Stanley Cup Playoffs than in this series between the Jets and Blues. The team on home ice has dominated five consecutive times, and the Blues aim to continue the pattern once more to save their season.

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Jacob Punturi
JACOB PUNTURI

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