(3-8-22) Senators-Blues Gameday Lineup

By LOU KORAC
ST. LOUIS -- Craig Berube and the coaching staff want a particular identity to set the standard with its fourth line, and they will get a new look with it tonight against the Ottawa Senators.

The Blues recalled Mackenzie MacEachern and Alexei Toropchenko from Springfield of the American Hockey League on Monday and both will be in the lineup when the Blues (32-16-7), on a three-game winless streak (0-2-1), begin a stretch of seven out of 10 games at home against the Senators (19-31-5), who have lost five straight, at 7 p.m. (BSMW, ESPN 101.1-FM).

MacEachern, who has played in 101 NHL games the past three seasons with the Blues, was not one of the recalls earlier in the season largely in part due to cap constraints. He will make his season debut tonight.

"I think he's gone down there and played really well," Berube said of MacEachern, who had 25 points (12 goals, 13 assists) and was the leader among forwards with 51 penalty minutes in 47 games with the Thunderbirds. "His attitude's been great. I think he's a better player this time coming up, that's my opinion. I haven't seen it yet, but I know the way he was playing down there, he was playing with a lot of confidence and a lot of attitude, physical, skating. For me, I think he went down there and improved."

As for Toropchenko, who played in five games earlier this season as one of the recalls, his fourth of the season, has been a steady addition to the lineup each time he's played.

"I thought when he was up here with (Nathan) Walker and (Matthew) Peca was up here with them, but that line was good," Berube said. "They did a lot for us, I thought, with what I'm talking about with the energy and physicality, just the direct play."

To make room, the Blues assigned Klim Kostin and Dakota Joshua to the Thunderbirds.
The fourth line was a sore spot for the Blues in their 3-2 overtime loss at New Jersey on Sunday, each member being on the ice for two goals against and playing little minutes.

Regarding Kostin, who the Blues have given a great chance to grab the ball and run with it, Berube said, "Penalties for one at the wrong time. He's just inconsistent in what we're going to get. He's got to be a predictable player. Right now he's not."

Joshua has given the Blues good play during his six recalls, but Berube said, "I don't think he turned the needle enough from heaviness and we just didn't see enough from him."

Message sent.

"It's important to have a line that creates some energy and physicality down there and just some directness," Berube said. "You know what you're going to get every shift. 

"(MacEachern and Toropchenko) played extremely well down in the minors. Both have got great speed on the wings and on the outside, they've both got good size. From a physical standpoint, they can add physicality and speed to your lineup, they're both similar players. They play more north hockey and just create energy and some physicality for our hockey team. 
"It's difficult at times, but we've had (Tyler) Bozak and Sunny (Oskar Sundqvist) down there for most of the year. Sometimes they're in different spots too with COVID and stuff like that, but I guess just trying to find some consistency down there with some players."

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As for Sundqvist, he was a late arrival on the ice for the morning skate but will be scratched from tonight's game.

It's evident that Sundqvist isn't the same, and the injuries (surgeries to both hips, surgery on left knee) he's had to deal with throughout the season haven't put him back to where he was before.

"It's not getting better," Berube said. "We've got to manage it a little bit."

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The Blues have 27 games remaining and sit in second in the Central Division but just four points ahead of Minnesota and Dallas and five ahead of Nashville in a crowded division.

With a 19-6-2 mark at home, it might be wise to start grabbing points here along the way.

"If you look at our last 27 games here, these are the times where you really enjoy it," center Brayden Schenn said. "This is when you want to put in the skates and be a part of it and be a part of the fight until the end. If you look at the Western Conference, realistically you can look at one team and say it's Colorado,  so you've got to win your games, you've got to focus on two points each night and it's the best time to be playing. You're here in the fight every night, it's scoreboard watching and battling until the end."

The Blues just spent 18 of the past 21 days on the road and were more than eager to get home Sunday night.

"It's nice to be settled and sleep in your own bed, be at the home rink here," said goalie Jordan Binnington, who will get the start tonight. "I think we did a good job for the most part (4-2-2 in the past eight road games). The last couple games haven't gone like we had liked, but we're back at it tonight."

"I think it's good for everybody to get home," Berube said. "We came home for the one game against Buffalo but we were right back on the road again, so it's been quite a while on the road."

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Binnington has allowed three goals on 76 shots against his past three starts (.961 save percentage) and has a 1.02 goals-against average, going 2-1-0 and feeling like he's trending back to where he wants to be.

"Yeah I do," Binnington said. "It's good to be back in there and good to get wins. It feels good, much better when you get in the win column, just being out there with the boys and competing and just feeling that atmosphere of playing. I feel good and I've got to keep working every day and keep building. Right until the end and that's the mindset right now.

"I think we're excited to get back at it. We're not happy with the way the last couple games have gone and I think every game's a new game and a new day. It will be good for us to come out tonight and get a big win at home."

It does mark the eighth straight game where the Blues have alternated starts between Binnington and Ville Husso.

"I think it's different and it is what it is at this point," Binnington said. "I'm in this position because of myself. The team has been doing well, just getting in there when it's your opportunity to play and just be there for the team is the mindset."

But it certainly looks like the Blues' No. 1 guy is getting locked in again, giving the team two solid options.

"He's looking good," Berube said. "He's made the saves he's supposed to make. He looks pretty confident in net for me right now. It's too bad we didn't get a win for him in the island. He played well enough to win the hockey game."

"I always wasn't worried," Schenn said. "He's a confident guy. It's an 82-game season, and if you look at his past three starts, he's been feeling good. He kind of has that demeanor a little bit with him right now being back to himself, quiet and focused, knowing that he has to be the backbone of our team to win hockey games and both goalies have done that. Both are having great seasons. Goaltending hasn't been our issue the past couple (games). It's the guys out in front of them to be better."

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The Blues' projected lineup:

Ivan Barbashev-Ryan O'Reilly-David Perron

Jordan Kyrou-Robert Thomas-Vladimir Tarasenko

Brandon Saad-Brayden Schenn-Pavel Buchnevich 

Mackenzie MacEachern-Tyler Bozak-Alexei Toropchenko

Niko Mikkola-Colton Parayko

Torey Krug-Justin Faulk

Jake Walman-Robert Bortuzzo

Jordan Binnington will start in goal; Ville Husso will be the backup. 

The healthy scratch will be Logan Brown. Oskar Sundqvist (undisclosed), Marco Scandella (lower body) and Scott Perunovich (upper body) are out.

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The Senators' projected lineup:

Brady Tkachuk-Josh Norris-Zach Sanford

Alex Formenton-Tim Stutzle-Connor Brown

Nick Paul-Colin White-Tyler Ennis

Parker Kelly-Dylan Gambrell-Austin Watson

Thomas Chabot-Nikita Zaitsev

Nick Holden-Artem Zub

Erik Brannstrom-Josh Brown

Anton Forsberg will start in goal; Filip Gustavsson will be the backup. 

Healthy scratches include Victor Mete, Dillon Heatherington and Adam Gaudette. Matt Murray (undisclosed), Shane Pinto (upper body), Drake Batherson (ankle) and Chris Tierney (lower body) are out.