Finally.
BLUES (28-16-8) at PREDATORS (24-18-8)
TV: SN1, FS-MW, FS-TN, NHL.TV
Season series: Forward Alexander Steen scored with 58.2 seconds remaining in overtime to give the St. Louis Blues a 4-3 victory against the Nashville Predators on Dec. 29, the Blues' third win in as many games against the Predators this season. Forward Vladimir Tarasenko scored with 5:40 remaining in a 2-1 St. Louis victory on Dec. 17, and the Blues won 4-0 in Nashville on Nov. 7 behind a career-high 45 saves from goalie Jake Allen. Defensemen Shea Weber and Roman Josi each have a goal and assist for Nashville.
Blues team scope: St. Louis left wing Jaden Schwartz, who has missed 45 games with a fractured left ankle, began skating with teammates Jan. 20 but is unlikely to return to the lineup Tuesday; he will need to get in some full-time practices. Schwartz continued to work with the training staff in St. Louis during the All-Star break. "I want to get back as soon as I can," Schwartz said. "We decided that was best for me. With me hopefully coming back (sometime) after the break, it only makes sense. I've got to get back into shape." The Blues, who recalled goalie Pheonix Copley and forward Ty Rattie from Chicago of the American Hockey League, will conclude a four-game trip; they were 1-1-1 before the break, scoring three goals. The coaching staff worked during the break on putting together a lineup to try to jump-start the offense. "How we formulate our lines moving forward, it's going to give us a chance to take stock," coach Ken Hitchcock said.
Predators team scope: Nashville has won four in a row (all on the road) and is 5-1-0 the past six games after a five-game losing streak (0-4-1); it begins a four-game homestand. The Predators have thrust themselves back in the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Western Conference with their recent winning streak. Goalie Pekka Rinne is 3-0-0 with a 1.00 goals-against average and .963 save percentage the past three starts. The Predators have lost seven of the past nine against the Blues (2-5-2) at Bridgestone Arena. Nashville recalled forward Viktor Arvidsson from Milwaukee of the AHL in a move that is likely to correspond with Colin Wilson (lower body) being on injured reserve since Jan. 8.
(AP) -- - Kevin Shattenkirk spent much of an extended, week-long All-Star break catching some rays on the beach in Mexico.
The St. Louis Blues defenseman reported back Monday for a rigorous workout feeling refreshed for the stretch drive. The Blues are fourth overall in the NHL standings and will be looking to strengthen their position starting Tuesday night with a road matchup against the surging Nashville Predators.
''Salt water cures everything,'' Shattenkirk joked.
Coach Ken Hitchcock presided over a practice that lasted 1 1-2 hours in a message to players that it's time to surge. All-Star Vladimir Tarasenko, tied for fourth in the league with 25 goals, awaited the rest of the team in Nashville.
''Coming back at this time of year is like trying to catch a freight train on the move,'' Hitchcock said. ''You've got to create your own intensity. You really, really have to push each other.''
Captain David Backes spent much of the break sitting in front of the fireplace at his home in Minnesota, and being a full-time dad. He used 16 hours driving back and forth to his home pondering what's ahead.
''It's some clear-head time to think things through,'' Backes said. ''The break's been really good to get re-energized.''
The Blues (28-16-8) could be getting top forward Jaden Schwartz back soon from a broken left ankle that has sidelined him 45 games.
Hitchcock thought Schwartz lagged the first half of Monday's practice but improved after the break. Both coach and player said the main test will be adjusting to the physical side of the game and what Hitchcock called a ''chaotic atmosphere'' in traffic.
''I want to get out there as soon as I can,'' Schwartz said. ''I feel pretty good now. There's a few things on the ice I've got to work on yet.''
The Blues are in a strong position despite the lack of a true hot stretch - a four-game winning streak in early October was their best run. But they finished the first half strong, with points in nine of 11 games.
They're in third place in the Central Division, six points behind Chicago and three behind Dallas.
St. Louis has been held back by injuries to Schwartz and forward Paul Stastny, who missed 16 games early in the season with a broken right foot, but a pair of rookies has helped compensate. Forward Robby Fabbri has 11 goals and defenseman Colton Parayko leads the team with a plus-18 rating along with 19 points.
''We certainly set ourselves up,'' defenseman Alex Pietrangelo said. ''We had a few extra days opposed to other teams and hopefully that give us a little bit of an extra jump in the second half.''
There's no timetable for goalie Jake Allen's return from a groin injury, however, so Brian Elliott will be playing basically every night.
''Until (Allen) gets on the ice with us and starts stopping pucks, I can't even give you a clue when he'll be back,'' Hitchcock said.
Elliott has been the everyday goalie since Allen was sidelined Jan. 8 at Anaheim, and that'll be the case for the foreseeable future given untested rookie Phoenix Copley is the backup. Allen has five shutouts and Elliott none, but the two are very close in goals-against average - Allen at 2.17 and Elliott at 2.23.
''There's no rest. There's no such thing as giving guys breaks,'' Hitchcock said. ''I think everybody wants to play as much as they can.''
Together, that pair is 16-2-8 in one-goal games, among the best in the NHL. Elliott says he's ready for the grind.
''This is when the big boys come to play,'' he said.
St. Louis has won all three games with Nashville (24-18-8) to extend its win streak in the series to four. Allen started the three matchups this season, while Elliott is 6-4-0 with a 2.20 GAA in 10 meetings.
The Predators enter on a season-high four-game win streak - all on the road - in which they allowed one goal in each contest. Pekka Rinne picked up the first three victories after going 0-4-1 with a 3.73 GAA in his previous five starts.
The run helped Nashville move into the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference, one point behind Colorado and one ahead of Minnesota.
"We're battling our way back into the playoff picture here," captain Shea Weber said. "The last four games have really helped."
