from Jeremy Rutherford of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch,

As Wednesday went along, the anxiety at workplaces throughout St. Louis continued to build. Sixteen days after sitting through an agonizing Game 7 against Chicago, waiting until the third period for the game-winning goal, how could Blues fans make it through another?

The club made it much easier on everybody this time.

Sure, there were perhaps many not ready to jump the gun on a trip to the Western Conference finals, but after the Blues jumped Dallas with a first period that took the air out of American Airlines Center, they left little suspense in a 6-1 win over the Stars in Game 7 of the Western Conference semifinals.

The Blues are headed to the NHL’s final four for just the seventh time in franchise history — the first time since 2001 — and with Washington and Dallas being eliminated, they are assured home-ice advantage the rest of the way. First up will be the winner of Nashville-San Jose, who will decide their series with a Game 7 Thursday.

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Game highlights are below...