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NHL Playoff Power Rankings: St. Louis Falls, Nashville On Top

By Matt Duscharme

May 2, 2017; Nashville, TN, USA; Nashville Predators players celebrate after a goal by defenseman Ryan Ellis (4) during the third period against the St. Louis Blues in game four of the second round of the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
May 2, 2017; Nashville, TN, USA; Nashville Predators players celebrate after a goal by defenseman Ryan Ellis (4) during the third period against the St. Louis Blues in game four of the second round of the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports /
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May 2, 2017; Nashville, TN, USA; St. Louis Blues goalie Jake Allen (34) against the Nashville Predators in game four of the second round of the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports /

Previous Ranking: 2 (-6)

Team Record: (5-4)

Goals For:

19

Goals Against:

19

Special Teams

PP: (8.3 percent) (16th)
PK: (78.6 percent) (11th)

Injury List

Nail Yakupov – Lower-Body – Day-to-Day
Robby Fabbri – Knee – Out-for-Season

Statistical Leaders in 2016-17

Top Forward: Jaden Schwartz (9gp 3g 4a 7pts)
Top Defenseman: Joel Edmundson (9gp 3g 3a 6pts)
Top Rookie: Jordan Schmaltz (1gp 0g 0a 0pts even)
Top Goaltender: Jake Allen (5 wins 2.05GAA .936 save percentage)

Player of the Week: F Alex Steen (3gp 1g 2a 3pts)

The Blues surprised all of us in the first round taking out the more skilled Wild team in just five games, but somewhere along they way they have dropped the ball on their dominant play. They have been overwhelmed by Nashville in much of the series and are now down 3 games to 1.

However, Jake Allen has still been pretty great in net, he hasn’t been as solid as he was in the Minnesota series, but he’s still given the Blues a chance against Nashville every game. Most of the problem for the Blues right now is they can’t score. The team only has 19 goals for so far with the exact same against, once all four lines start contributing on a regular basis they may get back in shape against Nashville. Both Alex Steen and Jaden Schwartz lead the team with seven points with Joel Edmundson not far behind with six.

Player to Watch: Vladimir Tarasenko

2016-17 stats: 9gp 3g 2a 5pts

I myself thought this would be the series where Vladimir Tarasenko broke out, but so far he hasn’t. He has just five points in all nine of the games St. Louis has played so far and for someone of his caliber he definitely needs to get things going if St. Louis want’s to carry onto the third round.

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