The New Jersey Devils do not get much time to admire a good result in this league. After beating the Edmonton Oilers in a shootout on Election Day, they are right back at it against the St. Louis Blues before heading out on a three-game road trip. That is the reality of the NHL schedule: one night you are celebrating, the next you are already being asked to prove it meant something.
And this is not just a throwaway stop on the calendar. The Devils come in at 11-2-2, which is exactly the sort of record that forces every opponent to take them seriously. The Blues arrive at 7-6-1, and they are also carrying the frustration of a 3-1 loss to the New York Rangers on Tuesday. That makes this Blues vs Devils meeting feel like more than a routine regular-season game. It is a chance for New Jersey to keep building momentum before life gets harder on the road.
Why this matchup matters
The Devils have earned the right to be viewed as a team with real authority early in the season. They have already put up 200 points? No — in hockey terms, what matters here is the form line, and New Jersey’s is much more compelling than St. Louis’ entering this game. The Devils are not just winning; they are finding ways to win under pressure, and the shootout victory over Edmonton was another example of that. Against a strong opponent, they stayed composed and got the job done.
The Blues, meanwhile, are searching for something sturdier. They were on the wrong side of a 3-1 result against the Rangers, and now they are trying to steady themselves in the middle of a four-game road trip. That is not an easy place to be, especially against a Devils side that is about to start its own road swing and would love to leave home with one more convincing result in the bank.
Grimace backs another Devils win
There was also a prediction attached to this one, and it was not exactly subtle. Grimace went with the Devils again, saying the St. Louis Blues will certainly have the blues after the game tonight because they are “gonna’ lose.” That is about as direct as a prediction gets, even if the wording sounds like it was having a bit of fun with itself.
That prediction fits the mood around this game. New Jersey has the better record, the better recent result, and the better rhythm. St. Louis has the task of trying to interrupt all of that while already being in the middle of a road trip that has started with a loss. That is a tall order.
So, yes, Blues vs Devils may look like another midweek regular-season matchup on paper. But for the Devils, it is the last home test before the road trip begins. For the Blues, it is another chance to stop the slide. And for anyone watching closely, it is a useful snapshot of where both teams stand right now: one pushing forward, the other trying to avoid getting left behind.
