Unlike last season, the St. Louis Blues enter the 2015 playoffs on a positive note and the franchise hopes that translates into success this time around.

The Blues ended the 2013-14 campaign on a six-game losing streak that dropped them out of first place in the Central Division. Rather than a first-round meeting with, coincidentally, the Minnesota Wild enjoyed by the division- champion Colorado Avalanche, St. Louis drew the Chicago Blackhawks in the quarterfinals and was eliminated in six games.

This time around, the Blues won five of their final six contests of the season to edge the Nashville Predators for first place and will try to advance out of the first round for the first time in three years.

There is no question who is leading the offense as 23-year-old Vladimir Tarasenko paced the Blues with 37 goals and 73 points on the season. Fellow 2010 first-round pick Jaden Schwartz was right behind his fellow winger with 28 goals and 63 points.

That young duo compliments a veteran core of captain David Backes (26 goals, 32 assists), winger Alexander Steen (24G, 40A) and American forward T.J. Oshie (19G, 36A).

Oshie fell two shy of matching his career-high goal output from a season ago, while free agent acquisition Paul Stastny fell four shy of the 20-goal mark. St. Louis would get a big boost if either can step it up a notch in the postseason.