The St. Louis Blues could have clinched a playoff spot on two separate occasions this week without even playing, but they didn’t receive any help from Chicago or Vegas.



Coach Craig Berube’s club will get another chance Friday night when, needing one point to secure a trip to the postseason, the Blues will face the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden. If they don’t get it, they could still gain a berth later in the evening if Colorado beats Arizona.



“When you don’t get off to a good start in a season, it’s always hard,” Berube said.



We all know the story: On the morning of Jan. 3, the Blues had 34 points through 37 games, the fewest points in the NHL at that point. Since then, they have 56 points in 39 games, the second-most points in the league in that stretch.



The Blues would become just the seventh team since NHL expansion in 1967-68, when they entered the league, to qualify for the playoffs after...