St. Louis Blues Game Preview: Team Looks to Regain Momentum Against Dallas Stars
The St. Louis Blues, who fell out of first place in the NHL Central with a loss to the Minnesota Wild on Saturday night, will take part in their second divisional matchup in as many days late Sunday afternoon as they face the Dallas Stars. The Blues will look to be more effective on Sunday after registering 42 shots on the Wild’s net and allowing just 19, but still losing 3-1.
More from Arch Authority
- St. Louis Cardinals: Randal Grichuk to begin Double-A rehab stint
- John Brebbia deserves a shot as the St. Louis Cardinals’ closer
- St. Louis Cardinals place Randal Grichuk on DL, recall José Martínez
- St. Louis Cardinals release RHP Corey Baker from organization
- St. Louis Cardinals activate Kolten Wong and Kevin Siegrist from DL, option Luke Weaver and Alex Mejia to Triple-A
The Blues have an opportunity to build momentum against the Stars, who currently sit in last place in the Central but have won three straight. The Blues haven’t had a tremendous amount of luck against Dallas this season, winning their first meeting 4-3 in overtime, but playing two of their worst games of the season in the subsequent two, losing 4-3 on December 27 and losing 4-1 on February 17. The Blues’ forward corps may be jumbled again on Sunday. We’ll see whether Chris Porter, who played on the top line and delivered a team-high five hits on Saturday, sticks in the lineup. Center Marcel Goc, who generally has anchored the fourth line, was a healthy scratch for the second time in the past week on Saturday, may be a candidate to get back in against the Stars. Sitting him for a second straight game could signify that the Blues plan to make Goc more of a reserve the rest of the way.
More from St. Louis Blues
- An early projection of the St. Louis Blues’ opening-night roster
- St. Louis Blues sign Klim Kostin to three-year, entry-level contract
- St. Louis Blues: Nail Yakupov signs with Colorado Avalanche
- St. Louis Blues: An homage to Chris Butler
- St. Louis Blues agree to one-year contract with Oskar Sundqvist
Whether Petteri Lindbohm, who was benched as Zbynek Michalek made his Blues debut on Saturday, gets back into the lineup should tell us a lot about his immediate status. (Barring injury or illness, Lindbohm would likely have to replace Robert Bortuzzo in the lineup). It should be interesting to see how the Blues handle Lindbohm going forward. When the Blues acquired Bortuzzo and Michalek at the trade deadline, GM Doug Armstrong mentioned the strong possibility of sending the 21-year-old back to the AHL to finish the season with the Chicago Wolves, due to his lack of experience and need for regular playing time. With the Wolves currently out of the playoff picture and a host of Blues prospects already filling the lineup, however, the Blues might be better off riding it out with Lindbohm sticking around as their seventh defenseman, much like they did with young forward Dmitrij Jaskin after the trade deadline last season.
Jake Allen will make his first start since March 1 on Sunday night. Allen, who has had two straight rough games after winning in his first five starts of 2015, will look to bounce back against the Stars.