Tuesday, March 29, 2016

(3-29-16) BLUES NOTEBOOK

Elliott earns NHL honor; Bouwmeester, Gunnarsson 
ruled out Tuesday; Selman signs entry-level contract

By LOU KORAC
HAZELWOOD, Mo. -- It was quite the week for Blues goalie Brian Elliott.

Well, come to think of it, it's been quite a season for Elliott until a knee injury Feb. 22 derailed what was becoming arguably his best NHL season to date.

Elliott, who will get the start tonight when the Blues (45-22-9, 99 points) host the Colorado Avalanche (39-33-4, 82 points) at 7:30 p.m. (NBCSN, KMOX-1120-AM), was named the NHL Second Star of the Week after going 2-0-0 with two shutouts (he has three in a row and the team has a franchise-record four in a row).

Elliott stopped 52 shots in wins at San Jose (1-0) and home against Vancouver (4-0); he made 37 saves against the Sharks on Mar. 22, and followed it up with 15 saves against the Canucks on Mar. 25. In doing so, Elliott matched a career-high with his third consecutive shutout, something he achieved Also did it April 7-11, 2013 and March 22-27, 2012. 

Elliott, who is 20-7-6 with four shutouts in 37 games this season, leads the NHL with a 1.95 goals-against average and .934 save percentage. He's 9-0-1 with a 1.61 GAA and .950 save percentage his past 11 appearances.

"Sometimes you get ones that go off the post and out and sometimes they go in," Elliott said. "It was on our side this week.

"I think we have a good feeling in here right now, especially after last game. Guys took care of business in a tough rink against the first place team in the league. I think that gave us a little but of pump-up and a measuring stick that we can beat any team in this league if we play our game. I think with that confidence moving forward, I think it will help us for sure."

* Bouwmeester, Gunnarsson out Tuesday -- The Blues will dress the same six defensemen that played in a 4-0 win at Washington on Saturday because Jay Bouwmeester, who has missed two games with an upper-body injury, and Carl Gunnarsson, who sat out Saturday with a lower-body injury, will not be available against the Avalanche.

Coach Ken Hitchcock has classified each as day-to-day; he was hopeful of having both available but with neither on the ice Monday, it was evident that they were not going to play Tuesday.

"They're out," Hitchcock said. "They didn't skate today and they're certainly not playing on Tuesday."

* Selman signs EL contract -- The Blues dipped into the collegiate pool on Monday and signed forward Justin Selman to a two-year, entry-level contract.

Selman, 22, played the past four seasons at the University of Michigan, where he had 29 goals and 38 assists in 113 regular season games.

Selman, who attended the Blues' developmental camp last July, will report to the Chicago Wolves of the American Hockey League.

The 6-foot, 198-pound Selman, who was impressive at the developmental camp,  played in 38 games for the Wolverines this past season and ranked sixth on the team with 31 points (13 goals, 18 assists). 

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