(1-5-22) Blues-Penguins Gameday Lineup

By LOU KORAC
Don't look now, but the Blues are back indoors, and they're back to playing a near-full lineup.

From a forward perspective, it is a full lineup.

Brayden Schenn will be back today when the red-hot Blues (19-9-5), 7-1-2 in their last 10 games and 9-2-3 in their last 14, conclude a brief two-game road swing against the equally red-hot Pittsburgh Penguins (18-8-5), winners of eight straight, at PPG Paints Arena at 6:30 p.m. (TNT, ESPN 101.1-FM).

Schenn missed five games with an upper-body injury that has kept him sidelined since Dec. 14 when he departed in the third period of a 3-2 overtime loss against the Anaheim Ducks.
Schenn, who has 10 points (four goals, six assists) in 19 games this season, will take up residence on a line with Pavel Buchnevich and Ivan Barbashev.

"We have depth and it's a nice problem to have when you can move guys around," Blues coach Craig Berube said. "I thought with the way 'Tommer' (Robert Thomas) and (Jordan) Kyrou and (Vladimir) Tarasenko have been playing, I didn't want to move that line and the the (Ryan) O'Reilly line. A good spot for 'Schenner' to go in with 'Barby' and 'Buchy.'"

The Blues, coming off a 6-4 win over the Minnesota Wild at the 2022 Winter Classic at the home of the Minnesota Twins, Target Field, they have some nice luxuries at their disposal at forward for the first time since Nov. 24 at Detroit.

"It's a good feeling to have everyone back obviously," forward Oskar Sundqvist said. "Excited to see how we do with all the forwards back. We just need to keep playing the way we've been playing the last couple games and nothing changes. Just happy to see 'Schenner' back."

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The Blues must get back to a business as usual mentality after the three days spent in Minnesota surrounding the hoopla of the extracurricular events surrounding the outdoor game and the events that came with it. They'll play three games the next five days and start a five-game homestand on Friday against the Washington Capitals.

"Keep playing the same way," Sundqvist said. "I think we've been playing our game the last couple of games and that's what made us successful. We're coming into Pittsburgh now here that's got eight straight wins. To be able to beat them, we need to play our game again. We need to be physical on them and play to our strengths. That's when we are successful. I think everyone understands that now. We just need to keep doing the same thing."

But as Berube said, the Blues have been in a business as usual mode, and he saw that in Minnesota.

"I think it was business as usual at the Winter Classic, too," Berube said. "Like I told the guys, we need you for a couple of things (there). Practice is one of them and the game. I thought the focus was great. I think our practice yesterday was really good. Today they had good jump out there in the morning skate, they looked energized. To me, it's business as usual tonight."

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Berube said that assistant coach Steve Ott, absent from practice on Tuesday with a sore back, will be on the bench tonight after missing the morning skate, and that Drew Bannister, head coach at Springfield called up to help tonight, will be up in the booth as the eye in the sky coach.

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* Kyrou, named the NHL's First Star of the Week on Monday, has seven points (three goals, four assists) his past two games.

* Barbashev has a four-game point streak (two goals, six assists).

* Tarasenko has a five-game point streak (six goals, four assists) and has scored in each of the five games.

* Buchnevich has a four-game point streak (seven assists) and has 27 points his past 22 games (nine goals, 18 assists).

* David Perron has eight points (two goals, six assists) his past seven games.

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The Blues' projected lineup:

Brandon Saad-Ryan O'Reilly-David Perron

Jordan Kyrou-Robert Thomas-Vladimir Tarasenko

Brayden Schenn-Ivan Barbashev-Pavel Buchnevich

Logan Brown-Tyler Bozak-Oskar Sundqvist

Niko Mikkola-Colton Parayko

Torey Krug-Justin Faulk

Marco Scandella-Scott Perunovich

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

Healthy scratches include Klim Kostin and Jake Walman. The Blues report no injuries. Robert Bortuzzo is in COVID-19 protocol. 

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The Penguins' projected lineup:

Jake Guentzel-Sidney Crosby-Bryan Rust

Dominik Simon-Evan Rodrigues-Kasperi Kapanen

Zach Aston-Reese-Teddy Blueger-Brock McGinn

Kasper Bjorkqvist-Brian Boyle-Danton Heinen

Brian Dumoulin-Kris Letang

Mike Matheson-John Marino

Marcus Pettersson-Chad Ruhwedel

Casey DeSmith will start in goal; Tristan Jarry will be the backup. 

Healthy scratches include Jeff Carter, Mark Friedman, Juuso Riikola and Radim Zohorna. Evgeni Malkin (knee) and Jason Zucker (lower body) remain sidelined. Drew O'Connor is in COVID-19 protocol.