St. Louis Blues vs Winnipeg Jets Picks and Predictions April 24th 2025

Blues Seek Solutions for Third-Period Struggles Against Jets

The St. Louis Blues are still searching for answers after two frustrating third periods have put them in a 2-0 hole against the top-seeded Winnipeg Jets. Heading into Game 3 of the first-round playoff series, the Blues are counting on the energy of their home crowd and a return to form to avoid slipping further behind in this Western Conference showdown.

Red-Hot Regular Season, Cold Start to the Playoffs

St. Louis finished the regular season with a blistering 13-2-1 run, outpacing several contenders to clinch the final wild-card berth. The surge created hope that the Blues could ride their momentum into a deep playoff run. But the Jets — winners of the Presidents’ Trophy with a league-best 56-22-4 record — have brought that momentum to a halt.

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Despite carrying a 3-2 lead into the third period of Game 1, St. Louis faltered late, surrendering the tying and go-ahead goals before conceding an empty-netter in a 5-3 loss. Game 2 followed a similar script: tied 1-1 entering the final period, the Blues gave up a quick goal and couldn’t recover in a 2-1 defeat.

“We’re going to go home, we’re going to be in front of our frenzied crowd and we’re going to have an opportunity to hold serve,” said head coach Jim Montgomery.

“We need to find another level when we go home so we can end up on top by a goal,” Montgomery added. “The games are really close. There’s not much separation going on right now.”

Rookie Spark and Veteran Effort

One of the lone bright spots in Game 2 came from 20-year-old Jimmy Snuggerud, who scored his first career playoff goal while skating on the top line with Robert Thomas and Pavel Buchnevich. He became only the third Blues player in the past 15 years to score a postseason goal at age 20 or younger.

The offensive depth that powered the Blues late in the regular season has yet to make a consistent impact, and with Game 3 on the horizon, the pressure is mounting for veteran scorers to step up and support their rookie linemate.

If you’re eyeing NHL expert picks for this series, it’s worth watching whether the Blues can reverse their third-period woes — or whether the Jets continue to close the door with surgical precision. You can catch all the latest NHL picks to stay ahead of the action.

Jets’ Stars Shine Bright

The Jets have executed their game plan with veteran poise and star-level execution. Kyle Connor has not only tallied two goals and two assists in the first two games, but both of his goals have been game-winners — making him just the fourth player in the last two decades to open the playoffs with consecutive game-winning goals.

Mark Scheifele has also been brilliant, despite spending 12 minutes in the penalty box. He has two goals and three assists, delivering elite two-way play and drawing praise from head coach Scott Arniel.

“That’s your best players playing at the top of their game. That’s what (Scheifele) has done,” said Arniel. “He’s going head to head against their best player… now he’s taken it into this playoff series.”

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“When your best players are your best players, that certainly goes a long way towards helping you win hockey games.”

With home-ice advantage shifting to St. Louis, Winnipeg will aim to maintain its grip on the series while keeping their stars hot and their mistakes minimal.

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Will the Blues Bounce Back?

The Blues need more than just a good start — they need to finish. With two games slipping through their fingers in the final 20 minutes, Game 3 represents a pivotal chance to change the tone of the series. If they can tap into their late-season form and respond to the Jets’ elite execution, St. Louis may still have time to turn this series around.