from Lou Korac of In The Slot,

Games in late March and April, especially the past three seasons playing for the Buffalo Sabres, meant little to nothing for Ryan O'Reilly in regards to achieving team goals.

Being a persistent observer of the Stanley Cup Playoffs can take its toll on a player. And in the case of O'Reilly, fighting for Lord Stanley's prize quickly became a foregone conclusion playing for the Sabres, who were 31st in the NHL last season with 62 points.

Games in March and April only meant the season was winding down and another round of questions would follow having to explain for another lost season. And early this season, even as late as January 3 when O'Reilly and the Blues were last in the NHL with 34 points, this has got to be the most gratifying feeling....

"It’s awesome," the 28-year-old said, who leads the Blues in points (71) and assists (44) this season. "It’s one of the best things in hockey, when you’re kind of playing these meaningful games and preparing for playoffs. It’s what it’s all about. It’s what you train for in the summer, going the distance. It’s nice to be in this position. It feels good, but there’s still a lot of work left, too. We keep preparing for the next game."

Even going back to his days with the Avalanche, O'Reilly only got to taste playoff hockey twice, including his rookie year of 2009-10. So March and April games for him were usually spent just keeping his game polished for perhaps personal goals, but rarely in the concept of helping the team achieve one of 16 entries into the dance.

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