(1-28-21) BLUES NOTEBOOK

Bozak will not play Thursday, Blais to step in; Blues need to cut shots 

down; more fans allowed into home games; top line producing more recently

By LOU KORAC
Blues forward Tyler Bozak won't play Thursday against the Vegas Golden Knights, according to coach Craig Berube, after sustaining an upper-bod injury on Tuesday.

Berube said Bozak is day to day "as of right now" with an upper-body injury after he was hit high from Golden Knights captain Mark Stone near center ice at 13:29 of the second period of a 5-4 shootout win for the Blues at T-Mobile Arena. Stone received a minor penalty for interference, and Bozak did not return to the game.

Blues forward Brayden Schenn wad first to engage in Stone after it and ultimately fought defenseman Justin Faulk, who received the appreciation of his teammates.

"That's how you build a team," Schenn said. "Bozie's obviously a huge piece to the locker room, loved by a lot of guys in our room and for Faulker to do that the first chance he got, obviously that's what shows the boys are connected and love each other around here. There's no reason for someone to do that with the guy without the puck. It's kind of a play that obviously is pretty dirty and the guy's out now. Good thing we've got lots of games to take care of it."

The league had made no announcements of any pending hearing for Stone, so there will be no punishment.

"It was just a very unnecessary play," said Blues forward David Perron, who was hoping the league would look at it. "It was not very smart. It was great to see Faulker do that. I think Schenner was close too. I saw him look at the replay. A couple other guys were not happy with it."

Bozak has played in seven games for the Blues this season, posting two assists.
Sammy Blais is expected to rejoin the lineup in Bozak's spot on the wing with Mike Hoffman and Robert Thomas in the middle.

"Sammy's played two games this year and he's played pretty well to be honest with you and it's a numbers game," Berube said. "That's why he's not in there all the time, but I think he's played pretty well. 

"He's a heavy player, he's physical, strong on pucks. He's going to get his looks offensively, he always does. Just play a solid game, 200-foot game and be a heavy player out there for us."

Defenseman Robert Bortuzzo skated today for the first time since he was also the recipient of a high hit against the Colorado Avalanche and Valeri Nichushkin, who also didn't receive supplemental discipline, on Jan. 15. 

Bortuzzo has missed the past five games and there is no definitive timetable for when he may return to action.

"First time on the ice," Berube said. "I don't know guys. It's one day on the ice here for him so we'll see how it goes for him."

* Cutting down the shots -- The Blues have been the model franchise when it comes to shots against in the league.

In the past 10 seasons going to 2010-11, the Blues have been in the top 10, including No. 1 overall in 2011-12, in shots against, which includes fourth or better eight times. Since the 2007-08 season, they've been in the top 10 in 11 of 13 seasons.

And even though it's just seven games, the Blues rank among the worst thus far in 2020-21 at 33.3 shots per game, which is 26th.

Berube spoke of killing plays in the defensive zone after the shootout win Tuesday and being able to stand the opposition up better at the blue line, which are a couple of contributors but it goes deeper than that.

"That's part of it and just not being aggressive enough overall," Berube said. "I think it starts in the offensive zone, personally, (with) forechecking, reloading, breaking plays up. That's where it all starts and we've played some games this year where we've given up in the 20's. That's where we want to be. That's where we've been the last two years and we've got to get there, but we've got new players and it's just a new year, so we've got to keep hammering away at it and get it right."

The Blues are incorporating newer players into the lineup, including defensemen Torey Krug and to a certain extent, Niko Mikkola, along with forwards Mike Hoffman, Kyle Clifford and Jordan Kyrou being a regular this season.
"

There's always an adjustment period and it's still early on in the year," Schenn said. "We've got to keep harping on it and coming together as a team and kind of creating that chemistry, kind of getting guys on the same page. It's going to come and it will come. Obviously early on, we've been too loose defensively and relied on our goalies to make big saves for us and they have bailed us out and they have made big saves. We've just got to do our part in helping them and not giving so many grade 'A' chances to stop."

Since 2007-08, the Blues were fourth last season (29.6 shots per game), fourth in the Stanley Cup-winning season of 2018-19 (28.6), third in 2017-18 (29.7), sixth in 2016-17 (28.4), 15th in 2015-16 (29.7), second in 2014-15 (27.2), third in 2013-14 (26.4), second in 2012-13 (24.2), first in 2011-12 (26.7), second in 2010-11 (27.7), 16th in 2009-10 (30.2, the only season at 30 shots or higher), seventh in 2008-09 (28.5) and seventh in 2007-08 (27.4). 

So to see them at 33.3, which is their highest since 1993-94 when they allowed 35.1 shots per game. 

"I don't think it's just in our zone, I think it starts even in the offensive zone when we don't have the puck, good forechecks," Schenn said. "If a guy's D are pinching that's responsible for forwards to support them and pick up for them or are in the neutral zone to be tighter and not allow them to have so many odd-man rushes or find delayed man coming in off the rush. When we do get to our own end, we've got to be able to close plays and eliminate plays and get turnovers in our own end and break out the puck. I think right now we're maybe a little bit loose and not tight enough defensively in all three zones and it's allowing them to get a lot of chances. We're relying on our goalies and in the games that Binner's played too, he's making save after big saves and timely saves. We've just got to be able to help him out more."

* Finally, some fans -- The Blues announced on Wednesday that Enterprise Center will open its doors to a limited number of ticketed fans that will boost their attendance at home games from 300 to 1,400.

In addition to invited frontline workers, families and friends of players, hockey staff, team employees and essential personnel, starting with their home game against the Arizona Coyotes on Feb. 2.

In cooperation with the City of St. Louis Department of Health, the Blues will increase attendance by 1,100 for the next set of home games. 

The success of the team’s implementation of local and NHL safety protocols during the initial homestands this season led to the approval to increase capacity. Future growth in the number of fans at Enterprise Center will be determined by ongoing evaluation of the safety measures and continued improvement in key local COVID-19 metrics.

"Our team looks forward to bringing fans back to enjoy Blues hockey with us in person when we return home," Blues president of business operations and CEO Chris Zimmerman said in a statement. "Through the partnership with local health officials and the continued compliance of safety protocols by all members of our team and staff, this marks an important step in responsibly returning our dedicated fans to Enterprise Center. We can’t wait to see and hear more of them back in the stands."

On the Plaza Level of Enterprise Center, fans will be seated in pods of two to four seats. Fans will also be seated on the PNC Premier Level, which includes suites, the Bommarito Automotive Group Lounge and Bull and Bear by Stifel.

Tickets for the Feb. 2-7 games will be made available via presale to season ticket holders beginning Thursday. Access to the presale will be determined by season ticket holder tenure, contract length and plan type. Season ticket holders will not have access to the same seats held in previous seasons.

The Blues will also continue to show their appreciation for local frontline workers by inviting healthcare workers, first responders, grocery store workers and others to each home game.

"It's awesome," Schenn said. "Fourteen hundred might feel like 10,000 in there. It's going to be nice to get more fans in there, just bring some energy in the building even though it's still going to be a pretty empty stadium, just people watching you, people cheering you on. Hopefully that number keeps on growing and as vaccines roll out here, it's trying to keep people safe and as healthy as much as possible, but at the same time, we all know how big fans are for sports and we're happy to see that number rise."

To provide a safe and enjoyable environment for all guests, Enterprise Center has implemented operational changes and health and safety protocols. The most important changes to the game day experience include: all tickets are mobile-only; face coverings must be worn at all times; bags are no longer permitted; and Enterprise Center is now a cash-free environment. The complete list of new guidelines and procedures can be found at stlouisblues.com/safety.

"It's great," Berube said. "I think it's great for the fans. It's great for us too. We want to have fans in the stands. Definitely makes the game a lot better. Fans make the game, in my opinion. It's nice that that's going to happen."

* Top line starting to produce -- It took some time, but the line of Ryan O'Reilly, Perron and Zach Sanford is starting to produce offensively.

Perron had just one assist in four games to start the season but has picked it up with three goals and two assists the past three games, and O'Reilly, who also started with one assist in four games, has a goal and three assists the past three games.

"It's interesting. We've played so much together in the last couple of years that you would think that it would just come the first game, but I think sometimes you don't put yourselves in the right areas of the ice to be successful, and for us, it's like we're not the fastest line, but when we know when we're predictable to each other in our system and then our compete level takes over and we make little plays," Perron said. "I think you saw that (Tuesday) with many opportunities, not just the goal that we scored there. It's nice. 

"I think we started building a little there the last of games and obviously (Tuesday) that was probably our best one as a line and we're looking forward to keep building."

The Blues need this line to produce to help the fast start by the line of Jordan Kyrou (three goals, four assists), Schenn (four goals, two assists) and Jaden Schwartz (two goals, four assists). 

"I thought DP and Sanny played a great game," O'Reilly said. "They did some great things. We forechecked well. We didn't give up a ton defensively, I thought we made some great plays coming out of there. I think I have to support them better. I've got a lot more on my hands right now and things I'm doing are kind of killing our momentum. You can see it's nice to kind of at least get the puck and create more. DP with obviously some unbelievable plays."