GDT: Jets at Blues 8:30 ESPN2 FanDuel

[hotrivets]

Preview: Game 3 vs. Winnipeg

By Elise Butler / Notes by Brett Barczewski

OVERVIEW
The Winnipeg Jets (2-0) took advantage of their home ice. Now it's the St. Louis Blues (0-2) turn to see if they can do the same.

The Blues weathered the whiteout in Winnipeg and kept both games close, but the team ultimately returns home still looking for their first win in the series. As the next two games shift to St. Louis, they will need to take advantage of a building where they found significant success this season.

Enterprise Center and a home crowd have been huge for the Blues this year, especially during their second-half surge. The team is undefeated there since Feb. 23, a franchise-record run of 12 wins in a row at home and the longest streak in the NHL this season.

While the team knows regular-season trends are not guaranteed to extend into the postseason, there will be one common factor that will carry over. In fact, it will be taken to a whole new level - and that's a building full of Blues fans.

"That's the regular season, it's playoffs now, we've got to start a win streak in the playoffs," said Head Coach Jim Montgomery. "But our crowd is a big part of it."

The Blues went 24-14-3 at home during the regular season as opposed to 20-16-5 on the road. While shots for and against per game and special teams numbers were similar, the team averaged 3.22 goals-for per game at home as opposed to 2.88 on the road. Additionally they averaged 2.66 goals-against per game at Enterprise Center compared to 2.98 away from it.

As the team returns to their ice, they also look to return to what made them so successful at the end of the regular season, especially on the offensive side. While the Blues have an impressive three power-play goals in the series, tied for second-most in the postseason, they have scored only one goal at five-on-five against Winnipeg.

"We've got to get to their blue paint better. We've got to sustain more O-zone time," Montgomery said. "Those are two things that we definitely have to do better. And then, besides that, we need to play faster, not only offensively but defensively."

Despite trailing in the series, the Blues are confident heading into Thursday's game.

"We believe in ourselves," said Zack Bolduc. "We know what kind of team we are, we know what kind of hockey we can play and we know what we can achieve."

[hotrivets]

Lou Korac
@lkorac10
#stlblues practice lines (4/23):

Snuggerud-*Joseph-Buchnevich
Neighbours-Schenn-Kyrou
Texier-Sundqvist-Bolduc
Toropchenko-Faksa-Walker
* Place holder for Thomas, who is not skating

Fowler-Parayko
Broberg-Faulk
Leddy-Tucker/Suter
* Kessel

Binnington
Hofer
Cranley

[hotrivets]

Cranley info:

https://www.floridaeverblades.com/news/ ... ins-blades

[somni]

Cranley info:

https://www.floridaeverblades.com/news/ ... ins-blades

Is he the EBUG?

[IsDurbanodoingtime]

So if Thomas does play, who comes out - texier or joseph? Or is Monty going with 7 d ?

[hotrivets]

Cranley info:

https://www.floridaeverblades.com/news/ ... ins-blades

Is he the EBUG?

I would think. Hopefully Binner is good after the hits he has taken.

[hotrivets]

So if Thomas does play, who comes out - texier or joseph? Or is Monty going with 7 d ?

Sounds like Tex is in. They skate in a few minutes.

https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/st-louis- ... t-thursday

[hotrivets]

I can breathe again

@jprutherford
#stlblues morning skate lines for Game 3:

Buchnevich-Thomas-Snuggerud
Neighbours-Schenn-Kyrou
Texier-Sundqvist-Bolduc
Toropchenko-Faksa-Walker
Extra: Joseph

Fowler-Parayko
Broberg-Faulk
Leddy-Tucker
Extras: Suter-Kessel

Binnington in starter’s net

Could, of course, go 11-7 again.

[Russdv14]

IF Thomas is injured somewhat....particularly IF it is lower leg/ankle then simply don't let him be a penalty killer where he blocks shots. That makes the case, even more for Mathieu Joseph to be used as a penalty killer like he's been in the past.

Texier is just potentially more a scoring “threat” than Joseph

[somni]

Sounds like Texier is going to be a game time decision.

I agree that if he plays it's because they want more 'skill'.

[DawgDad]

Sounds like Texier is going to be a game time decision.

I agree that if he plays it's because they want more 'skill'.

This player decision isn't as critical at home where the Blues have the last change. Fresh legs might be a big plus.

[blackinkbiz]

Think they just said Tucker is in, Suter is out.

[theograce]

I wanna see Parayko fight Stanley.

Needs to happen for me.

[hotrivets]

Blues projected lineup

Jimmy Snuggerud -- Robert Thomas -- Pavel Buchnevich
Jake Neighbours -- Brayden Schenn -- Jordan Kyrou
Alexandre Texier -- Oskar Sundqvist -- Zack Bolduc
Alexey Toropchenko -- Radek Faksa -- Nathan Walker

Cam Fowler -- Colton Parayko
Philip Broberg -- Justin Faulk
Nick Leddy -- Tyler Tucker

Jordan Binnington
Joel Hofer

Scratched: Mathieu Joseph, Ryan Suter, Matthew Kessel

Injured: Dylan Holloway (lower body)

Status report

Vilardi, a forward, made the trip to St. Louis. He is still skating in a noncontact jersey and remains day to day. Ehlers, a forward, did not travel to St. Louis. ... Thomas will play after not practicing due to maintenance on Wednesday. Suter, a defenseman, could be a healthy scratch in Game 3 after playing all 82 regular-season games and the first two games of this series. If Texier plays, it would be his playoff debut for the Blues.

[hotrivets]

Jets projected lineup

Kyle Connor -- Mark Scheifele -- Alex Iafallo
Nino Niederreiter -- Vladislav Namestnikov -- Cole Perfetti
Brandon Tanev -- Adam Lowry -- Mason Appleton
David Gustafsson -- Morgan Barron -- Jaret Anderson-Dolan

Josh Morrissey -- Dylan DeMelo
Dylan Samberg -- Neal Pionk
Logan Stanley -- Luke Schenn

Connor Hellebuyck
Eric Comrie

Scratched: Dominic Toninato, Haydn Fleury, Colin Miller, Ville Heinola

Injured: Nikolaj Ehlers (lower body), Gabriel Vilardi (upper body), Rasmus Kupari (concussion)

[sdaltons]

Wow Tucker in for Suter. Didn't think they'd actually do it but good to see.