Blues 2018-19 season schedule

Seven-game homestand early in season, stretch of 

22 of 30 road games among notable stretches of games

By LOU KORAC
ST. LOUIS -- The NHL released its full regular-season schedule on Thursday, and for the Blues, there are a lot of similarities to the schedule fans are quite used to.

The Blues open the season with a three-game homestand, beginning Oct. 4 against the Winnipeg Jets and play their first road game in Chicago against the Blackhawks on Oct. 13. Speaking of the Blackhawks, the Blues play the Blackhawks in four of their first 16 games.

The Blues are top-heavy on home games in the first half of the season and play eight home games in November and December but do play a stretch of 22 of 30 road games from Jan. 12-March 17.

There are two sets of back-to-back games against the Nashville Predators (Nov. 21-23 and Feb. 9-10), a New Year's Eve home game against the New York Rangers and the long-awaited return of former Blues defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk.

The Stanley Cup champion Washington Capitals and T.J. Oshie visit St. Louis on Jan. 3.

There's a season-long seven-game homestand Oct. 25-Nov. 11, six afternoon weekend home games this season and the Blues finish the regular season at home on April 6 against the Vancouver Canucks.

Here is the Blues' schedule, including seven preseason games, in full:

2018-19 ST. LOUIS BLUES SCHEDULE
PRESEASON
SEPTEMBER
18 -- at Dallas, 7:30 p.m.
19 -- vs. Minnesota at Des Moines, Iowa, 7 p.m.
21 -- COLUMBUS, 7 p.m.
23 -- at Columbus, 2 p.m.
25 -- WASHINGTON, 7 p.m.
28 -- DALLAS, 7 p.m.
30 -- at Washington, 2 p.m.

REGULAR SEASON
OCTOBER
4 -- WINNIPEG, 7 p.m.
6 -- CHICAGO, 7 p.m.
11 -- CALGARY, 7 p.m.
13 -- at Chicago, 7:30 p.m.
14 -- ANAHEIM, 6 p.m.
17 -- at Montreal, 6 p.m.
20 -- at Toronto, 6 p.m.
22 -- at Winnipeg, 7 p.m.
25 -- COLUMBUS, 7 p.m.
27 -- CHICAGO, 7 p.m.

NOVEMBER
1 -- VEGAS, 7 p.m.
3 -- MINNESOTA, 7 p.m.
6 -- CAROLINA, 7 p.m.
9 -- SAN JOSE, 7 p.m.
11 -- MINNESOTA, 2 p.m.
14 -- at Chicago, 7 p.m.
16 -- at Vegas, 9 p.m.
17 -- at San Jose, 9:30 p.m.
19 -- LOS ANGELES, 7 p.m.
21 -- at Nashville, 7 p.m.
23 -- NASHVILLE, 7 p.m.
24 -- WINNIPEG, 6 p.m.
28 -- at Detroit, 6 p.m.
30 -- at Colorado, 8 p.m. 

DECEMBER
1 -- at Arizona, 7 p.m.
5 -- EDMONTON, 7 p.m.
7 -- at Winnipeg, 7 p.m.
9 -- VANCOUVER, 2 p.m.
11 -- FLORIDA, 7 p.m.
14 -- COLORADO, 7 p.m.
16 -- CALGARY, 2 p.m.
18 -- at Edmonton, 8 p.m.
20 -- at Vancouver, 9 p.m.
22 -- at Calgary, 3 p.m.
27 -- BUFFALO, 7 p.m.
29 -- PITTSBURGH, 7 p.m.
31 -- N.Y. RANGERS, 6 p.m.

JANUARY
3 -- WASHINGTON, 7 p.m.
5 -- N.Y. ISLANDERS, 7 p.m.
7 -- at Philadelphia, 6 p.m.
8 -- DALLAS, 7 p.m.
10 -- MONTREAL, 7 p.m.
12 -- at Dallas, 8 p.m.
14 -- at Washington, 6 p.m.
15 -- at N.Y. Islanders, 6 p.m.
17 -- at Boston, 6 p.m.
19 -- OTTAWA, 6 p.m.
21 -- at Los Angeles, 3 p.m.
23 -- at Anaheim, 9 p.m.

FEBRUARY
2 -- at Columbus, 6 p.m.
5 -- at Florida, 6 p.m.
7 -- at Tampa Bay, 6:30 p.m.
9 -- NASHVILLE, 1 p.m.
10 -- at Nashville, 11:30 a.m.
12 -- NEW JERSEY, 7 p.m.
14 -- at Arizona, 8 p.m.
16 -- at Colorado, 2 p.m.
17 -- at Minnesota, 2 p.m.
19 -- TORONTO, 7 p.m.
21 -- at Dallas, 7:30 p.m.
23 -- BOSTON, 3 p.m.
24 -- at Minnesota, 6 p.m.
26 -- NASHVILLE, 7 p.m.

MARCH
1 -- at Carolina, 6:30 p.m.
2 -- DALLAS, 7 p.m.
6 -- at Anaheim, 9 p.m.
7 -- at Los Angeles, 9:30 p.m.
9 -- at San Jose, 3 p.m.
12 -- ARIZONA, 7 p.m.
14 -- at Ottawa, 6:30 p.m.
16 -- at Pittsburgh, noon
17 -- at Buffalo, 4 p.m.
19 -- EDMONTON, 7 p.m.
21 -- DETROIT, 7 p.m.
23 -- TAMPA BAY, 7 p.m.
25 -- VEGAS, 7 p.m.
29 -- at N.Y. Rangers, 6 p.m.
30 -- at New Jersey, 6 p.m.

APRIL
1 -- COLORADO, 7 p.m.
3 -- at Chicago, 7 p.m.
4 -- PHILADELPHIA, 7 p.m.
6 -- VANCOUVER, 3 p.m.