St. Louis tries to shake those home blues against Sharks

San Jose Sharks goalie Martin Jones makes a save on a shot from the Nashville Predators during the first period of Game 7 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup Western Conference semifinal playoff series Thursday, May 12, 2016, in San Jose, Calif. The Sharks won 5-0 and advanced to the conference finals. (AP Photo/Ben Margot) San Jose Sharks goalie Martin Jones makes a save on a shot from the Nashville Predators during the first period of Game 7 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup Western Conference semifinal playoff series Thursday, May 12, 2016, in San Jose, Calif. The Sharks won 5-0 and advanced to the conference finals. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

By Associated Press May 14, 2016 4 min read

ST. LOUIS (AP) – The rest of the postseason, the St. Louis Blues have home-ice advantage. Now, if they can only capitalize on it.

The Blues are in the Western Conference finals for the first time since 2001 not because of those rip-roaring, standing room crowds, but because they’ve been so good at blocking out the noise elsewhere.

They’re 3-4 in the Scottrade Center and 5-2 in the other two rinks, including the 6-1 knockout blow in Game 7 of the second round at Dallas two days after they fumbled a chance to wrap up the series at home.

Heading into Game 1 Sunday night against the San Jose Sharks, the message from coach Ken Hitchcock to the players is time honored: Keep it simple, get the puck to the open man, avoid heroics.

“One-on-one hockey is for November and February,” Hitchcock said Saturday. “Not now.”