Season series: The St. Louis Blues defeated the New York Islanders twice within a six-day span last season, including 6-3 at Scottrade Center on Dec. 11, 2014. Kevin Shattenkirk had a goal and four assists in the two games, and Paul Stastny scored three goals for St. Louis. Kyle Okposo had a goal and three assists for New York.
Islanders team scope: New York will likely use either Thomas Greiss or Jean-Francois Berube in goal after Jaroslav Halak started Friday in a 5-3 home loss to the Boston Bruins that ended a four-game winning streak. The line of Nikolay Kulemin, Mikhail Grabovski and Brock Nelson had its four-game point streak end. The Islanders have lost five in a row to the Blues, and five straight in St. Louis dating to Dec. 6, 2005. "Tough place to play against a good team that is rested," Islanders captain John tavares said. "We are going to have be a lot better than [we were Friday] and play a lot smarter game."
Blues team scope: Forward Jaden Schwartz injured his left leg during practice Friday and was taken to the hospital; he will not play. "We've got a game, and I'll tell you one thing, nobody is going to be feeling sorry for us, in particular the Islanders," coach Ken Hitchcock said. St. Louis was already without defenseman Shattenkirk (lower body) and forwards Stastny (broken foot), Robby Fabbri (concussion) and Patrik Berglund (shoulder). Shattenkirk and Fabbri skated Friday and are expected to return Tuesday against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Goalie Brian Elliott, who is 4-0-0 with a 2.01 goals-against average and .918 save percentage, will start.
The St. Louis Blues have won five straight over the New York Islanders, though the two players who have been most productive for them in that streak won't be on the ice Saturday night.
That's because the injury-plagued Blues traded away T.J. Oshie, and Kevin Shattenkirk remains out with a lower-body injury for this opener of a five-game homestand.
St. Louis (5-2-0) has outscored New York 25-12 in this win streak, with Oshie and Shattenkirk combining for 20 points. Oshie is now with Washington while Shattenkirk will miss his fifth straight game.
The Islanders have dropped their last four visits to St. Louis since a 6-3 victory Dec. 6, 2005.
The Blues are also without Paul Stastny and Patrik Berglund due to injuries and will be further short-handed since winger Jaden Schwartz was injured in Friday's practice when he collided with a goalpost. Schwartz is one of six skaters tied for the team lead with four assists.
"Obviously he couldn't finish practice, so that's the first alarm bell that goes off," coach Ken Hitchcock told the Blues' official website. "We sent him to the hospital to get a further evaluation and we'll give you an exact update on time frame (Saturday)."
Ty Rattie, who played 13 games over the last two seasons, has been called up from the minors to take Schwartz's place.
"Knowing him, I think he's really going to take advantage of this," Hitchcock said. "He's on that cusp of being an NHL player, and I don't think he's going to miss the opportunity to come up and play right now."
St. Louis wrapped up a 4-2-0 trip with Tuesday's 3-0 loss to Montreal. Vladimir Tarasenko's six-game run in which he piled up a team-high nine points ended.
The Blues had 38 shots against the Canadiens and are among the NHL's leaders with 33.0 per game.
New York (4-2-1) is also in that group with an average of 32.3 shots, though it was held to a season-low 26 in Friday's 5-3 home defeat to Boston that ended a four-game win streak.
''We didn't do a good job of complementing each other,'' coach Jack Capuano said. ''You can't turn the puck over in this league and expect to win. We have to play a lot better than that.''
John Tavares had a first-period assist to extend his point streak to five games after he amassed eight in the Islanders' win streak. Anders Lee saw his four-game run end.
Capuano said there's a chance that winger Steve Bernier could make his club debut Saturday. Bernier has been out with a lower-body injury.
New York is well aware of its recent futility against St. Louis.
"We wanna win tomorrow," Tavares said. "Tough place to play against a good team that's rested. We're going to have to be a lot better than that (Friday), play a smarter game."
Former Blues goalie Jaroslav Halak made 21 saves Friday, though it's unlikely he will start this contest after he missed the first four games with an injury. Backup Thomas Greiss is 2-0-1 with a 2.64 goals-against average in three starts this year, and has posted a 2.01 GAA in winning both starts in St. Louis.
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I'm looking forward to seeing Rattie rise to the occasion, and play well. I just cringe, however, at the thought of Rattie, Jaškin and Gomez trying to defend against a speedy Islanders' line.
Should be an interesting game. THIS is the type of game The Blues will need to win if they hope to tread water until Stastny and Berglund return in 5 weeks or so. The good news is that they know Halak's weaknesses. You can bet they'll all be shooting high and to the left, or deking left, and THEN going high right.
I still don't think Rattie has any chance of success in Hitch's system, though the system is evidently changing a bit so maybe there's some hope. Still, injuries are taking their toll and the worst part is they're not day-to-day injuries. We're losing key players for extended him. While that may help accelerate the trade of Gunnarsson, it certainly won't help maximize the return. And in the meanwhile, we need to not suck for the next 3, 4 months while everyone gets back where they need to be.
Finally get the time to watch a game. Let's go, boys!
“It makes no difference what men think of war, said the judge. War endures. As well ask men what they think of stone. War was always here. Before man was, war waited for him. The ultimate trade awaiting its ultimate practitioner. That is the way it was and will be. That way and not some other way.”
“It makes no difference what men think of war, said the judge. War endures. As well ask men what they think of stone. War was always here. Before man was, war waited for him. The ultimate trade awaiting its ultimate practitioner. That is the way it was and will be. That way and not some other way.”
Plenty of decent chances. But also plenty of mishandling of the puck.
“It makes no difference what men think of war, said the judge. War endures. As well ask men what they think of stone. War was always here. Before man was, war waited for him. The ultimate trade awaiting its ultimate practitioner. That is the way it was and will be. That way and not some other way.”
“It makes no difference what men think of war, said the judge. War endures. As well ask men what they think of stone. War was always here. Before man was, war waited for him. The ultimate trade awaiting its ultimate practitioner. That is the way it was and will be. That way and not some other way.”
“It makes no difference what men think of war, said the judge. War endures. As well ask men what they think of stone. War was always here. Before man was, war waited for him. The ultimate trade awaiting its ultimate practitioner. That is the way it was and will be. That way and not some other way.”
