A night after the Blues were, for all intensive purposes, fans of the Coyotes as they beat the division rival Chicago Blackhawks, they’ll be looking to beat Arizona in order to maintain their standing in the Central Division race. After finally entering into a tie for first place in the Central last week, the Blues are now back in second and are four games behind the first-place Nashville Predators.
With 28 games left in their season, Arizona is more or less playing to crash other teams’ parties. They sit in sixth place in the Pacific Division, currently 14 points out of a playoff spot. With a record that’s well under .500 and still without a 40-point player, it’s safe to say that Arizona’s taken a step back from a 2013-14 season which saw them just narrowly miss the playoffs.
It will be a homecoming for several with St. Louis ties. GoalieMike McKenna, a St. Louis native and Parkway South high school product, was recalled by Arizona on Monday, and withMike Smithhaving started in Monday’s shootout victory, McKenna has a chance to get the second game of the back-to-back and make a start against his hometown team. Unfortunately, St. Louis nativeJoe Vitaleis dealing with an upper-body injury and won’t be able to play in St. Louis on Tuesday.
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Former Blues forwardB.J. Crombeenis on Arizona’s roster, though he’s frequently a healthy scratch and has been for the Coyotes’ last two games. ForwardAlexandre Bolduc, who spent last season in the Blues’ system, is also with the Coyotes and has dressed for three straight games since being recalled from the AHL last week.
The Blues’ lineup will get a jolt on Tuesday, as centerJori Lehterais expected to return following a six-game absence as he dealt with concussion symptoms. He’ll almost certainly take the lineup spot vacated whenTy Rattiewas reassigned to the AHL on Monday, though coach Ken Hitchcock could rearrange the lines so that Lehtera can get back withVladimir TarasenkoandJaden Schwartz, who he’s played with for most of this season. With that said, he’s tried to putPaul Stastnywith that group on several occasions this season and has assembled that line in Lehtera’s absence, so it’s possible that Lehtera could end up withPatrik BerglundandDmitrij Jaskinon Tuesday.
Jake Allenwill be in goal on Tuesday following two straight losses withBrian Elliottin net. Allen has four straight wins, though they’ve all come against bottom-dwellers (two against Carolina, one each against Edmonton and Buffalo). He gave up three goals over 31 minutes in relief of Elliott in Columbus on Friday night, but did not receive the decision.
Next: Blues Send Ty Rattie Back to AHL Chicago Wolves
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