Shattenkirk in good spot with Lightning

Former Blues defenseman spent parts of seven seasons here has overcome 

a knee injury, being bought out of contract having to prove himself again

By LOU KORAC
ST. LOUIS -- Kevin Shattenkirk realized a dream for many of his former teammates and closest friends was about to come to fruition and became genuinely happy for them.

Shattenkirk, defenseman for the Tampa Bay Lightning, watched as the Blues won their first Stanley Cup in franchise history last season and was happy for them, guys he went to war with on a nightly basis, guys like Alex Pietrangelo, Colton Parayko, Jay Bouwmeester, Carl Gunnarsson, Robert Bortuzzo, Jake Allen, Jaden Schwartz, David Perron, Alexander Steen and Vladimir Tarasenko.

(St. Louis Blues photo)

Former Blues and current Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Kevin

Shattenkirk (22) defends against David Perron on Tuesday in St. Louis.

Shattenkirk, 30, would initially give them their space but would eventually reach out offering congratulations.

"Oh yeah. Absolutely," he said Tuesday before the Lightning faced the Blues. "I gave them their time obviously to sober up this summer. I think August 1st we all talked, but I still have a lot of my closest friends over there. I was thrilled for them and what they accomplished. 

"I've always said if it's not going to be me, I want my friends to win it. I think just knowing the city as well and knowing the hunger for a Stanley Cup and what they were waiting for, for so long, you talk to a guy like Osh [T.J. Oshie] and all the guys who were here before that didn't do it here, but we know what it means to this city and I think in that respect, it gave us joy knowing that it finally happened."

Shattenkirk, who spent parts of seven of his 10-year NHL career with the Blues, or 425 regular-season games and another 47 Stanley Cup Playoff games, not only is happy for former teammates, but he's happy for himself.

It's been a rather tumultuous ride for the New Rochelle, New York native since he was traded to the Washington Capitals by the Blues on Feb. 27, 2017. His stay didn't last long with the Capitals. He finished the season out and was part of two rounds with Washington before going home, signing as a free agent with the New York Rangers and getting a four-year, $26.6 million contract.

Life was supposed to be good for Shattenkirk, who married his wife Deanna July 20, 2018 and the two have a four-month old son.

But in the world of business, life doesn't always seem right and doesn't seem fair. When the Rangers decided to buy out Shattenkirk's contract after two years in New York, it's a bitter pill to swallow, especially for veteran players.

Shattenkirk, who had a torn meniscus his first season with the Rangers in 2017-18 and played in just 46 games, was basically told me was no longer wanted. The Rangers were looking to erase payroll and get younger, rebuild so to speak.

"It wasn't a terrible feeling," Shattenkirk said. "It was hard for sure, but I've been part of some trades that maybe might have hurt a little bit more and I think it allows you to kind of just tap into this fire inside you that you want to prove people wrong, especially when it's that situation and not a trade. It's a chance to prove yourself really. That's how I've looked at it this year. I didn't want to hold a grudge for too long. I wanted to make sure I could get right back to work and back to business. It allowed me to get past it quickly. I really didn't have much time. It was August, so I had to get ready to focus on wherever I was going next. In a way, it was nice to kind of just move on and get ready to play."

The silver lining is Shattenkirk was a free agent again and knew he would have his pick of the litter of where he would land. Knowing the Rangers are responsible to pay out $1,483,333 in 2019-20, 2021-22 and 2022-23 as well as $6,083,333 in 2020-21, Shattenkirk's financial future was never in doubt. But he wanted to keep playing, and someone would come calling for his offensive-defenseman playmaking abilities.

Enter the Lightning.

"When you looked at the roster and it seemed from my standpoint, there are a lot of good players on the backend to play with and hopefully be partnered with," Shattenkirk said. "A chance to be back on a winning team and a championship-caliber team I think was what really excited me the most. When you're looking at trying to have a good year individually and kind of set yourself up to prove that you haven't lost a step a little bit, you want to put yourself in the best position to do so and I think the way this team plays, it kind of fits this team perfectly. Everything that they preach here is what I like to do and how I like to play, the confidence from the coaches when I spoke to them over the summer in knowing my game and knowing how I'd fit in, I think that really allowed me to feel comfortable with this decision."

Shattenkirk signed a one-year, $1.75 million contract with the Lightning, and he's off to a solid start with 15 points (five goals, 10 assists) in 18 games playing top-pair minutes with Victor Hedman. 

"I think it's been great," Shattenkirk said. "It's brought kind of a new energy into me and into my game. Obviously with what happened this summer, it was a tough pill to swallow at first, but the opportunity to join a team like this was something that really invigorated me and allowed me to just prepare and make sure I was ready because you're back on a championship-caliber team. As you know, you're fighting for your spot constantly. I think I wanted to make sure that I came in and I was ready to play and ready to fill a certain role on the team. Everything has definitely worked out well so far."

Shattenkirk, who has 364 points (80 goals, 284 assists) in 627 regular-season games, of which 258 points (59 goals, 199 assists) came with the Blues, chose the Lightning because he saw the talent level on this roster, one in which was 62-16-4 last season and won the Presidents' Trophy before shockingly being swept by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Now that his knee injury is a thing of the past, Shattenkirk feels healthy and reinvigorated.

"It's been a crazy ride," Shattenkirk said of leaving St. Louis. "Being here, I think I'm kind of back in a situation now similar to where I was here in that offensive, power-play role, and it's a good spot for me. I think I went out and tried to take a little bit more on. I was hoping to play with this guy [Ryan McDonagh] in New York for a little bit, but that didn't work out so well. I think just with the situation in New York and everything and how it fell into place, it was great at first and then obviously the whole team kind of got blown up. It was tough, but I think for me personally, after my injury, it took a little while for me to get back. But I really feel like I'm back to my old self this year. It's been nice."

(St. Louis Blues photo)

Kevin Shattenkirk spent parts of seven seasons with

the Blues.

Shattenkirk is counting on a solid season with the hopes of banking another contract in the summer. He'd love nothing more than to accomplish what his former Blues teammates were able to do last season. It's what helps drive the passion, the hunger to reach for the top, because there was a part of Shattenkirk that wished he was still with the Blues and accomplished what they did knowing he felt there were some missed opportunities here with perhaps better rosters that underachieved.

"Of course. You look at the team and you have a lot of your close friends there, any time you've gone through those years where you maybe felt like you could have done it and you didn't do it with that group of guys, you're hungry for the next one and you want to do it," Shattenkirk said. "I think it's something that's going on here in our locker room. For me, it's fun to be a part of that and I know I'm the new guy, but I've had my struggles in the playoffs too. I want to break through as well. It's a bit of a hard thing to see. You feel like you were here for a lot of good years and chances to win it, but it just goes to show how hard it is to do."

Blues beat Lightning 3-1 by playing their gritty, hard-nosed style

Winless streak snapped at three with effective forecheck, puck 

possession, forced turnovers, keeping puck away from skilled team

By LOU KORAC
ST. LOUIS -- Want to know how to keep a high-flying team from wrecking havoc in one's own zone, wiring shots left and right at your goalie? 

The Blues' blueprint for how to beat the Tampa Bay Lightning, which came into the game as the the fifth-best scoring team at 3.56 goals per game and averaging 32.6 shots per game, was in full force on Tuesday in their 3-1 win at Enterprise Center.

(St. Louis Blues photo)

Blues forward Klim Kostin (37) lays a check on former Blues and Tampa

defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk Tuesday in St. Louis' 3-1 win.

Sometimes, stats can be a bit deceiving, considering the Lightning outhit the Blues 33-18 for the game. It didn't seem that skewed, but the Blues' ability to force turnovers and possess pucks in the offensive zone is the perfect elixir for limiting the high-flying Lightning, and former Blues Pat Maroon and Kevin Shattenkirk, at bay.

The Blues (13-4-5) were winless in three straight (0-1-2) but needed to get back on the horse. Their goal scoring was drying up, so in order to win, they would need to win the kinds of games they won here on Tuesday, by being tough, gritty and a pain in the you-know-what in order to win, and get the timely, key saves, which Jordan Binnington, who seemed a bit miffed to be credited with seeing only 18 shots on goal, was giving them.

"I just think we needed our game for a full 60 minutes," said Blues forward Oskar Sundqvist, who scored the go-ahead goal in the third period off a pretty no-look pass from Robert Thomas. "It was a while ago since we did that. It feels like tonight was finally the night where we were putting up our complete game for 60 minutes."

How often you hear coaches and players say playing a full 60 minutes? In this locker room, quite often. And when you hear the Blues play a full 60 minutes, then you know it was a good night.

Despite falling behind 1-0 in the first period on Anthony Cirelli's close-range goal, the Blues turned things around by harassing and hounding the Lightning puck handlers into turnovers and forcing a quick-skating tam to chase and defend with their backs to the ice, because when Tampa Bay was able to pounce on turnovers itself, the Lightning's transition game was quite noticeable. So the Blues did their best to neutralize that.

"I think it just comes with good puck management," said Thomas, who played center for the first time this season. "We had a couple turnovers in the neutral zone and you just see how fast they transition and they create stuff off the rush there. I think for us, that was our big key was taking care of the puck and making sure we weren't turning it over at the blue line, red line, getting it in and making them turn.

"Binner was great. He made some key saves throughout the game. I think we did a good job of keeping them to the outside and try to limit their second chances. Binner did a great job controlling the play and controlling the rebounds."

Binnington's top saves may have come on two quick shorthanded chances by Cirelli and Alex Killorn when the puck bounced past Alex Pietrangelo at the point, and Ryan O'Reilly couldn't dive to break up the rush. Those saves kept it 1-0 and enabled David Perron to get the equalizer late in the second before the Blues took control in the third.

"We were on the power-play, they got a break and it's all about timing in this game," Binnington said. "I think that was big for us. We got momentum and we got some chances. I think we played a pretty solid game tonight. We're happy to come out with this win.

"They're a highly offensive team with some skill. They lost Kucherov there in the second period. It was a good hit there by Schenner, but it's how it goes sometimes. I think the d-men and the forwards did a great job in coming back. The PK, we had a number of blocked shots. It just shows how hard this club sacrifices for one another right now."

That "good hit by Schenner" that Binnington was referring to was Brayden Schenn laying a heavy check on Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov on a hit along the wall right as Kucherov had released the puck.

"I just seen him dump the puck in, turned up, just went through him, finished him," Schenn said. "I thought it was a clean check and hopefully he's OK." 

It drew a skirmish from Erik Cernak and knocked the high-scoring Lightning forward, who led the NHL with 128 points last season, out of the game.

"We feed off when we're hitting people and getting the puck deep and grinding them down," Sundqvist said. "That's when we know we're at our best. That's what we need to do night in and night out. Today was a good night."

(St. Louis Blues photo)

Blues forward Oskar Sundqvist scored the game-winning goal and had six

shots in a 3-1 win over Tampa Bay on Tuesday.

The Blues know they can't out-skill a team like Tampa Bay, so checking, grinding, puck-possession with an effective cycle, defending in layers is how it has to be effective for this team.

"We can't think we're going to play the Tampa Bay Lightning or the run-and-gun teams in the league and think we're going to run-and-gun with them," Schenn said. "We're not going to be successful like that and if we buy into our system, we're usually good on most nights; tonight we were."

That they were.

(11-19-19) Lightning-Blues Gameday Lineup

By LOU KORAC
ST. LOUIS -- Pat Maroon was all smiles, full beard flowing and ready to do the hockey thing again.

The Oakville native, who helped the Blues win their first Stanley Cup in franchise history last season, returned for the first time with the Tampa Bay Lightning (9-6-2) when they face the Blues (12-4-5) Tuesday (7 p.m.; FS-MW, NBCSN, ESPN 101.1.FM).

Maroon, who played just the one season here last year before signing with the Lightning in August for one season and $900,000, will be the last of last year's group to get his Stanley Cup ring and he'll get it from Blues general manager Doug Armstrong in a pregame ceremony prior to tonight's puck drop.

"Doug called me a couple days ago and told me what he was going to do, so I'm really looking forward to tonight," Maroon said. "It's going to be cool. I know some of the guys got emotional when they saw it and opened it for the first time. I know I'm looking forward to it. You really don't know if it's reality, did we really win the Cup because I haven't seen much of it. I haven't seen my name on the Cup yet. Through picture, but not in real life, and I haven't seen the ring yet. I think once I see all that, it'll hit reality."

Maroon, who scored one of the biggest goals in Blues history with his double-overtime goal in round two of Game 7 here against the Dallas Stars, a 2-1 Blues win that sent them to the Western Conference Final against San Jose, is an emotional guy. He kept his emotions in check after the morning skate but that could change before the game.

"I'm excited," Maroon said. "Excited obviously to see the ring. It's been too long. I've been waiting for too long, but I'm really excited. It's going to be cool. It's going to be an emotional night. It's going to be a fun night and obviously a lot of friends and family in the stands tonight to watch."

Maroon formulated one of the toughest, grittiest lines for the Blues in the postseason last year with Tyler Bozak and Robert Thomas before Thomas was injured in the Cup Final against Boston, and after a tumultuous first half of the season for 'The Big Rig,' a fairytale story was built and culminated with the unlikeliest -- but grandest -- of finishes.

"It's definitely going to be an emotional night," Bozak said. "Obviously he was a huge part of what we did last year and being from here, a lot of family and a place that means so much to him. Such a well-liked guy in our room that everyone got along with really well and still keeps in touch with. I know we're all excited to see him and maybe he'll take it a little easier on us in the physical category out there."

As for the chirping?

"Once it's all said and done and he gets his ovation and he waves at the crowd and all that, I think he's going to be the old Pat Maroon," said Blues center Brayden Schenn, who will face older brother Luke tonight. "He's going to be having fun out there, chirping guys, laughing, playing hard like he always does. I'm sure he's excited to get back here, I'm sure he circled this one on his calendar every since he signed with Tampa Bay and we're looking forward to playing him.

"You've got to expect it's going to be a great reception. Obviously he was a very well-liked guy in our locker room. He still talks to a lot of guys through text message, stuff like that. He's close with a lot of guys and obviously with him being a hometown kid scoring one of the biggest goals in St. Louis history, the crowd's obviously going to give him a good ovation. We're going to be happy to see it from our end. He was a huge piece to our team, huge piece to our locker room and obviously we miss him in this locker room."

When asked about the chirping, Maroon laughed.

"We'll see what happens," Maroon said. "I don't know if I'm going to chirp that much, but we're going to have a couple laughs, that's for sure."

Bozak's not convinced.

"Probably (chirp) just our new guys, I would assume, or maybe some of the other guys that he's really close with," Bozak said. "I'm sure he won't be quiet throughout the game, I know that for sure. I think we're just excited to see him.

"He's kind of irreplaceable (here in St. Louis) in that category. He's one of the best at that on and off the ice. Nobody really has taken over that job."

Blues coach Craig Berube, who one year ago was put in charge of coaching the Blues on an interim basis after Mike Yeo was fired, spoke of what Maroon meant to the run last year.

"He was a big part of us and what we did, scored a couple big goals in the playoffs," Berube said. "He's part of that winning team, always will be. He's a great guy, great locker room guy. Everybody liked him. I thought he was really good for our team.

"I coached Patty in Philly as a kid. I've known him for a while, I guess. He's just a team guy. I like that. He does a good job in the locker room and does what we ask of him. I like the guy, he's a good good guy and he's a good team guy."

Lightning coach Jon Cooper coached Maroon with the Texarkana Bandits (2005-06) and St. Louis Bandits (2006-07) and has been able to come full-circle to what is now a veteran guy, and leader, taking a chance that maybe Maroon can bring some of that Blues mojo down to Florida.

"It wasn't all ups. There were some downs along the way," Cooper said of Maroon's journey. "To watch him fight through it and then to kind of see the Cinderella story end last year, it's going to be a great moment, not only for him, but for us to kind of be a part of the journey along the way.

"We lost a lot of strong leadership last year. When the [Ryan] Callahans, the [Anton] Strallmans and [Dan] Girardis exit, somebody's got to fill that void. That's one of the things when you watched Pat over the years because he wasn't really that guy for us when he was 16, 17 years old, but he's really turned into that as he's gotten older. He brings an identity. He gives is that bigger, down-low presence that we haven't had a whole ton of here while I've been the coach. Not only that, he's kind of a glue guy, brings a team together. I know that was a big part of St. Louis' run last year was how close the team was together and Pat was a big part of that. I think he brought a little bit of that to us. He's had a really positive impact."

When Maroon gets his ring tonight, Cooper wouldn't mind seeing him get emotional.

"I hope he does," Cooper said. "I think emotions are great, and when they come out, it shows you care. I know the fans of St. Louis adore him. They may not be cheering for him as much when the puck drops, but everybody knows here what he meant to that team and I'm sure he's going to get a great ovation."

- - -

The Blues will try to end a three-game winless slide (0-1-2) against the league's top-scoring team in the Lightning, which averages 3.71 goals per game and has won four of six.

The Blues will do so by re-configuring their forward lines in order to draw out some more offense.

One of the changes includes moving Bozak up to play with Schenn and Jaden Schwartz.

"I think trying to see if Bozak can have some chemistry with those guys," Berube said. "I know that I've moved Bozak late in games a lot of times on different lines, and he's been with those guys and they've been good. I just haven't put them together for a whole game yet. I'd like to see if something can happen there."

It's been tough sledding for Bozak, who has eight points (two goals, six assists) in 21 games, but in his defense, it's been a hodge-podge of players moving in and off his line throughout the season.

"There's a lot of changes with linemates, a lot of different looks and things," Berube said. "He's a good soldier that way. He accepts his role with us and he always tried to help whoever we put out there, young guys and things like that. He hasn't had two linemates too consistently all year."

Bozak blew that notion off.

"It's been fine," Bozak said. "Obviously it's nice to find and mesh with a line and stick with it. It's inevitable there's going to be injuries throughout the year, there's going to be guys moving up and down the lineup, so you've got to be ready to play any role with any guys. Everyone's a great player in here. It's just about finding that chemistry as quick as you can when you do get new linemates. Hopefully that will be the case tomorrow."

- - -

Not only is there a reunion of sorts for Maroon, but former Blues defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk marks his second game back here since he was traded to Washington late in the 2016-17 season.

Shattenkirk, whose contract was bought out by his hometown New York Rangers this past summer before he landed with the Lightning for one year and $1.75 million in the summer, still has plenty of friends on the Blues roster and spoke with a number of them after winning the Cup.

"Absolutely. I gave them their time obviously to sober up this summer," Shattenkirk said. "I think August 1st we all talked, but I still have a lot of my closest friends over there. I was thrilled for them and what they accomplished. I've always said if it's not going to be me, I want my friends to win it. 

"I think just knowing the city as well and knowing the hunger for a Stanley Cup and what they were waiting for, for so long, you talk to a guy like Osh [T.J. Oshie] and all the guys who were here before that didn't do it here, but we know what it means to this city and I think in that respect, it gave us joy knowing that it finally happened."

-- I'll have more on Shattenkirk's story since he's left St. Louis, a bit of an empty feeling knowing he wasn't part of the Cup-winning team, his start with the Lightning and feelings of having his contract bought out in a story posted later. --

- - -

Klim Kostin will get a second look with the Blues, his second NHL game after making his debut on Saturday against Anaheim.

"I thought he did well," Bozak said of Kostin. "First game there's always going to be nerves. It's obviously a different style of play than what he's been playing throughout the years, so it takes a little bit to get used to, but you were able to see his speed, his strength, the way he handles the puck. As he gets more comfortable, he's going to get better and better. He's going to be a really good player for a long time."

Kostin logged 11:45 ice time with two shots and four hits in the game.

"Same thing I see after watching tape. He just brings the kind of element that we like," Berube said of Kostin. "He's a big guy, finishes his checks. He can skate and shoot, goes to the net. For his first game, I thought he did a really good job and I'd like to see him again.

"I think for him and for the organization and our team, we've got to see what we've got here. So I'd like to see him again."

- - -

The Blues' projected lineup:

Jaden Schwartz-Brayden Schenn-Tyler Bozak

Sammy Blais-Ryan O'Reilly-David Perron

Zach Sanford-Robert Thomas-Oskar Sundqvist

Mackenzie MacEachern-Ivan Barbashev-Klim Kostin

Colton Parayko-Alex Pietrangelo

Jay Bouwmeester-Justin Faulk

Vince Dunn-Robert Bortuzzo

Jordan Binnington will start in goal; Jake Allen will be the backup.

Healthy scratches include Carl Gunnarsson and Jacob de la Rose. Vladimir Tarasenko (shoulder) and Alexander Steen (ankle) are out.

- - -

The Lightning's projected lineup:

Tyler Johnson-Brayden Point-Nikita Kucherov

Ondrej Palat-Steven Stamkos-Carter Verhaeghe

Alex Killorn-Anthony Cirelli-Mathieu Joseph

Pat Maroon-Cedric Paquette-Yanni Gourde

Victor Hedman-Kevin Shattenkirk

Ryan McDonagh-Erik Cernak

Mikhail Sergachev-Luke Schenn

Andrei Vasilevskiy will start in goal; Curtis McElhinney will be the backup.

Healthy scratches include Braydon Coburn, Jan Rutta and Cory Conacher. The Lightning report no injuries.

Blues shuffle lines in hopes of sparking scoring

Berube trying to gain spark through three-game 

winless slide he feels is due to lack of 5-on-5 goals

By LOU KORAC
ST. LOUIS -- Craig Berube had no interest in the goings of Sunday's NFL action. Apparently, he also didn't have a direct interest in the CFL semifinal encounters either.

The Blues coach spent most, if not all, of his day coming up with a new look with his line combinations in light of a three-game winless streak (0-1-2). 

(St. Louis Blues photo)

Blues forward Oskar Sundqvist (70) will line up with Robert Thomas and

Zach Sanford on Tuesday against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

"Most of it, yeah," Berube said. "Yeah, pretty much."

The blender was out and there was plenty of tinkering at practice on Monday at Enterprise Center:

Schwartz-Schenn-Bozak
Blais-O'Reilly-Perron
Sanford-Thomas-Sundqvist
MacEachern-Barbashev-Kostin

McGinn-de la Rose-Brouwer

Tyler Bozak, a staple as the third-line center for much of his one-plus seasons with the Blues, has been moved up to the top line with Brayden Schenn and Jaden Schwartz on the right wing, Sammy Blais has been reunited with Ryan O'Reilly and David Perron, Robert Thomas was the third-line center with Zach Sanford and Oskar Sundqvist and Klim Kostin replaced Sundqvist with fourth-line grit guys Ivan Barbashev and Mackenzie MacEachern.

For Bozak, who admitted he's played virtually little to no right wing, said it doesn't matter to him. Having two centers on one line can actually be a benefit.

"Not really (much), I need to be honest, but just at end of games and at certain times of games, but it's not that big of a transition," Bozak said. "We've got two centermen on our line. We can both play low, we can both play wing, we can switch in and out of positions. It shouldn't be too bad.

"Me and Schenner will kind of just rotate wherever we are at that time. It'll be nice. We'll be able to take draws on our strong sides. I guess whoever's back in the d-zone first will play low. It won't be too much of a change."

The new-look top line can now be dubbed the All-Sasky Line since all three are natives of Saskatchewan.

"Yeah, why not? First time we've got the Sasky boys together," Schenn said. "Bozie being obviously a very good two-way forward, good centerman. I've played a little bit of both too. I think we'll read off one another. I've done it before where I've kind of played a little bit of a hybrid center and kind of whoever's low will play low and we'll both take face-offs and see if we can get something going here."

Blais started the season with O'Reilly and Perron, and Thomas, a center by trade, will be given a look at his natural position in hopes to enhance his playmaking skills.

"I wanted to get Robert Thomas in the middle of the ice for a game, more than one game hopefully here," Berube said. "He's a great player that has skating and open ice puck play is really good. Hopefully maybe he can get something going there.

"That's where his natural position is and he's a puck distributor. He's a good playmaker."

Berube's hope as the Blues (12-4-5) host Tampa Bay on Tuesday: improve their 5-on-5 scoring. The Blues entered Monday tied for 27th in the league with the New Jersey Devils in 5-on-5 scoring with 35, or 1.67 per game.

Overall, the Blues are 14th in the league averaging 2.95 goals per game but since Tarasenko went down, they've scored 30 goals (2.73 per game) in 11 games.

"It's been down and we've go to generate more 5-on-5 scoring," Berube said. "Just trying a few guys around and see if we can get something going.

"We go over chances all the time and how we mark them and stuff. We're doing a good job of getting lots of chances, but I think that we have to execute better in a lot of our Grade A chances. We could hit the net more, bear down a little bit more in those areas. It sounds like a little thing, but it becomes a big thing. The chances are there, but we've got to do a better job of hitting the net and executing a little bit better there. ... It's not about shot attempts. You've got to shoot the puck and we all get that, but it's the quality of shots is the most important thing."

It was inevitable that when leading goal scorer Vladimir Tarasenko went down with a dislocated left shoulder, the Blues would have moments like this where the well would run dry on scoring. It's been held to a higher ground because of a power play that's ranked fifth in the league, and defensively, they've only allowed 36 5-on-5 goals (1.71 per game). But Tarasenko isn't coming back soon, so the players must work with what they have, and they know they have the tools to get the job done without No. 91.

"I think we always defend hard 5-on-5, no doubt about it, but I think when we maybe go into a little bit of a lull, it's when we're not scoring 5-on-5 and I think when you do score 5-on-5, it gives confidence of guys, it gives swagger of guys for sure," Schenn said. "Sometimes it just comes and comes naturally and right now, it's not. You have to find ways to get out of the funk 5-on-5 and that's whether it's communicating with guys on your line or when you're on the ice with them or finding different ways to score, we all have to do it together as a group."

Scoring 5-on-5 can many times come from getting around the net and finding those loose pucks, which the Blues haven't done a ton of, although they did well in the 4-1 loss to Anaheim on Saturday.

"I thought we went to the net hard last game," Berube said. "It didn't work out very well, but you still have to go to the net, and I thought we did a good job of that last game. Their goalie played well. We've got to keep going there. But we've got to execute better on our good chances that we're getting."

So when guys were driving to the rink Monday morning, they probably had a feeling some maneuvering was on the horizon and understandably so.

"We've lost three in a row, I know two were in overtime, but obviously make a few changes here to try and get a little spark," Bozak said. "I think that's what you do when you're on a little skid. We're playing a really good team again tomorrow. Hopefully the new combos work and get some chemistry right off the bat and start putting some more pucks in the net.

"I think the last few games, we haven't been around the net as much as we'd like to. The goalies are so good now, you have to take their eyes away. It's going to be tough to score on that first shot. You usually get the best opportunities on the second and third chances. We have to get more traffic in there, get more guys in front of the net and get some more rebounds."

One thing the Blues want to squelch is the idea fatigue is a factor and that there's a lack of energy, but it's hard to ignore, especially with the month of November that has featured already three sets of back-to-backs and another on the way. Beginning Tuesday, the Blues finish November with seven games in 12 days and playing into last June is bound to catch up to you.

(St. Louis Blues photo)

Ryan O'Reilly (90) will have a familiar winger on his line Tuesday when the

Blues host the Tampa Bay Lightning.

"I don't think fatigue's a factor at all," Schenn said. "You can probably say that, but you still get your two and a half, three months off in the summertime and the way it is now, guys train all summer now as it is. Even coming into this season, we've had a good start, but teams are slowly starting to creep up on us and catch us and I think we have to start realizing that now. As far as energy and fatigue goes, the coaching staff does a great job giving guys days off, time off, optional skates, stuff like that."

All in all, the Blues are still tied atop the Western Conference with 29 points, and are in a good spot. They just want to remain on top of things and not get into any prolonged dips, like the ones they went through last season.

Kostin NHL debut was solid, offered glimpse the high draft pick can now build off it

2017 first-round pick couldn't help Blues overcome Ducks, did what 

was asked of him, offers hope that a career in St. Louis can be promising

By LOU KORAC
ST. LOUIS -- The butterflies were certainly circling around Klim Kostin's stomach on Saturday night, it was amazing in itself that he remembered before taking his solo rookie lap that something was missing.

"I always practice with helmet," Kostin said after the Blues' . But today, somebody on team stole my helmet before practice. I was like, 'Where's my helmet?'"

(St. Louis Blues photo)

Klim Kostin made his NHL debut with the Blues on Saturday against the

Anaheim Ducks.

One of Kostin's teammates swiped the Russian rookie's head gear before taking the ice for his first NHL regular season game on Saturday against the Anaheim Ducks. It's a mystery as to who the culprit was, but the 20-year-old didn't mind. After all, it was time to perform on the big stage for the 31st pick in the 2017 NHL Draft for the first time.

"That's great feeling," Kostin said. "It's your first NHL warmup. Well, second one, I got [Friday at Columbus but was a healthy scratch]. First lap (Saturday), I was alone. Somebody stole my helmet and I just skate out."

Kostin, recalled Wednesday from San Antonio of the American Hockey League to give the Blues (12-4-5) an extra forward, was finally given his first test at this level after much anticipation from a fan base that's been clamoring for the 6-foot-3, 212-pound Penza, Russia native.

The Blues couldn't make it a triumphant debut for Kostin, a 4-1 loss to the Ducks, the Blues' first regulation loss in 10 games, but the power forward seemed to fit in nicely for a debut. He finished with 11:45 time on ice playing the third line with Tyler Bozak and fellow 2017 first-round pick Robert Thomas (20th pick), two shots on goal and was tied with Sammy Blais with four hits.

Kostin, who admitted some early nerves, didn't seem out of place trying to maneuver his large body towards and around the net, even crashing it with authority in the second period and nearly putting home a rebound past John Gibson. Kostin showed promising signs of being able to protect the puck, use his strong stature and once he gets enough repetition at this level, he can display the rare skill and shooting ability that are rare tools for bigger bodies.  

"A couple first shifts, (there were) nervous, and after, I was good," Kostin said. "... My linemates did all the work and I just try to score and miss the puck.

"It's the next level for me. I thought it's like a big step to come here and play my first game. Thanks (to the) coaching staff and the GM for giving me chance to play my first game."

Blues coach Craig Berube saw a positive springboard following a first game.

"He was fine," Berube said of Kostin. "I thought for his first game in the NHL, he did a good job. I was happy with him."

Kostin, who replaced Jacob de la Rose in the lineup, wasn't asked to do too much, and not a surprise considering Blues coaches simply wanted him to get acclimated and comfortable in the simplest way possible.

Mission accomplished.

"Yeah, coach said play simple and physical," Kostin said. "That's what I try to do. ... A couple big hits."

Kostin was prepared for his debut; he was told Friday he would go into the lineup Saturday, which helped him prepare mentally.

"[Friday], I did a workout during the game and then gym coach tell you're going to play tomorrow," Kostin said. "... Yeah like first game always nervous."

Kostin's father, Sergei, was in attendance for his son's NHL debut. Rather than go and watch his clips after a game, or perhaps discuss his performance with his father, Kostin joked he had something else in mind at the time.

"Just take a rest and dinner first," he said with a smile. 

(St. Louis Blues photo)

Blues 2017 first-round pick Klim Kostin made his NHL debut Saturday and

wasn't overwhelmed being on the big stage.

Surely, Sergei brought up the first NHL game at some point after the game, and Kostin admitted it's a mix on whether his game is talked about or not. 

"Yeah, sometimes, sometimes no," Kostin said.

There are no guarantees what comes next for Kostin, in his third year of pro, which included two-plus seasons with the Rampage, but one thing's for certain: how that the NHL debut is out of the way, Kostin can build off a solid debut.

"I think like if I'm going to play next game, I will be relaxed," Kostin said.

Offense drying up for Blues, most recent in a 4-1 loss to Ducks to snap nine-game point streak

When puck isn't going in, it magnifies mistakes; Blues made two glaring 

ones Saturday, in good spot despite some challenges that need ironing out

By LOU KORAC
ST. LOUIS -- Rubber was flying from every which way towards Anaheim goalie John Gibson with little to no results.

It's been the Blues' way these last few games, and predictable for that matter.

(St. Louis Blues photo)

Blues forward David Perron (57) gets off a shot in front of Ducks d-man

Josh Mahura on Saturday in a 4-1 Anaheim win.

Did the Blues really think there wouldn't be stretches like this after a disappointing 4-1 loss to the Anaheim Ducks on Saturday, where the Blues would have issues putting the biscuit in the basket? Especially with their leading goal scorer [Vladimir Tarasenko] shelved for virtually the rest of the regular season with a dislocated shoulder?

Once that left shoulder popped on Tarasenko Oct. 24 against Los Angeles, there went with it a guaranteed 30 or more goals. Who was going to pick up that slack? 

In an 82-game season, sometimes it will look like the Blues don't miss Tarasenko. Other times, like Saturday, they wish they can have 20 of him on the ice.

Saturday was one of those games in which a tale of two circumstances occurred. When the Blues are having trouble scoring, it almost makes you have to play a perfect defensive kind of game with little to no mistakes. Whether that means no turnovers, being responsible with the puck, be in the right spots on the ice or have your goalie stand on his head, all those things must happen.

The Blues (12-4-5) actually carried much of the play against the Ducks (10-9-2) in this one, but a couple costly mistakes helped Anaheim end their five-game winless streak, and an offensively-challenged team isn't in position and equipped right now to be chasing games.

"Obviously putting the puck in the net," said Blues center Ryan O'Reilly, who has no goals on home ice this season and had two shot attempts in the game Saturday. "We had some opportunities and we didn't bury it and once they got the lead, it was tough. All they did was just shot the puck out of the zone and chase it down and try to kill momentum, but we have to find a way to put the puck in the net. It's on myself. I can't remember the last time I got a 5-on-5 point. I've got to generate more and obviously it's an issue. Obviously I think we're a much better team, but we have to do those things better.

"... In a sense. I look at the game and I think there's an opportunity for the top guys to make a play and put the puck in the net, and that's on us. When you have momentum and puck possession, we're putting it in the right areas and we're getting it back, a big play to happen is to put it in the net and that's on myself and a few other guys. We have to take control. We're responsible for that part of the game. If we're not doing it, how can we expect anyone else to?"

Going back the last nine games, of which the Blues are 6-1-2, not counting empty-net goals, they have scored three or fewer goals in regulation in all of them, and in six of them, scored two or fewer goals in regulation.

Overall, the Blues are 17th in the league in goals for at 2.95 per game, which isn't all that bad, but in the last 11 games, it's dipped to 2.72 per game, and if you take away the two empty-net goals in Edmonton Nov. 6 and five overtime winners, that number is 2.09 in regulation.

"We've got to score goals and we didn't. It's clear we didn't score enough goals, with a lot of shots," Blues coach Craig Berube said. "... We've got to work on finding ways to score goals, more goals."

Sarturday, Berube flipped Robert Thomas and Sammy Blais, inserting Blais with Brayden Schenn and Jaden Schwartz, and playing Thomas with Tyler Bozak and Klim Kostin, who made his NHL debut Saturday.

Berube was trying to find something, anything to get an offense that's going stagnant going.

"We did have some chances," said Blues right wing David Perron, who finished with five shot attempts Saturday but none on goal in his 800th NHL game, 500th with the Blues. "We did have a lot of shots on net compared to them, but they didn't result in goals and that means we have to do a better job, either be more in front of the goalie's eyes or creating more second opportunities for other guys. Also our power play could have been a little more sharper tonight."

The Blues fired off a season-high 38 shots against Gibson, and they out-Corsied the Ducks 64-35 in the game, and on many nights, when the Blues out-attempt someone so badly like that, usually the case is they're not getting on the interior as often as they need to, finding those second and third opportunities off rebounds.

That wasn't necessarily the case Saturday. It simply came down to not burying their opportunities. When the Blues were crashing the net, they simply didn't find the loose pucks. 

"Close to 40 shots. We've got to find a way to score some goals," Blues captain Alex Pietrangelo said.

But when that's not happening, it magnifies the glaring mistakes that on many occasions, winds up in the back of one own's net.

Like the Ducks' second and third goals, both scored by Derek Grant, who added an empty-netter to tally his first NHL hat trick for one of the easiest hat tricks one would ever score.

Ryan Getzlaf had already scored off a fortuitous bounce that resulted in a 2-on-1 to make it 1-0, and Grant scored to make it 2-0 in the first when Jordan Binnington played a backhand pass from behind his net to Pietrangelo in the left corner with his back to the ice. It was a precarious spot for Pietrangelo to be in, but he said the play that resulted in the turnover, a quick backhand pass to Ivan Barbashev in the middle of the ice that caromed off forechecking forward Nicolas Delauriers' skate before Grant deposited it into the short side, is a play he makes in his sleep.

"Guy's wide open. I make that play 15 times a game," Pietrangelo said. "It just hits a skate. Shit happens.

"That's the right play. I'll make that play again next time I have the opportunity. Sometimes you don't get the bounces."

And when the Blues had built momentum off a Vince Dunn goal to make it 2-1 in the second, the second and more egregious error occurs when Justin Faulk, on the power play, plays the puck from the right wall back to the trailing defenseman, only to have it picked off in the middle of the ice that gave Grant a breakaway for the back-breaking goal to make it 3-1 at 7:20 of the third.

"We didn't do ourselves any favor, whether it was me passing off the skate," Pietrangelo said. "Faulker makes that play nine out of 10 times too. Sometimes they just don't go your way. These are usually ones we find a way to win. I think it's just catching up to us right now."

This is true, the Blues were probably winning some games they had no business winning earlier in the season but found a way. Lack of offensive execution combined with mistakes eventually catch up to you, but this right now is simply a case of finishing pucks, and it's put the Blues in a small hole being winless in the past three (0-1-2).

"I think it's a little bit of a wake-up call," Perron said. "Energy-wise, we played a lot of hockey recently, a lot of travel and things like that. We've had success, but we have to keep focus and keep going at it and finding ways.

"... Our structure, we talk about that a lot, and our structure is to hem teams in their d-zone and from there, finding chances. I think we can do a better job."

(St. Louis Blues photo)

Blues forward Jaden Schwartz (left) is hounded by Ducks defenseman Cam

Fowler during play on Saturday in St. Louis.

It's good to be finding things to fix, all the while, the Blues are still first overall in the Western Conference and suffered just their first regulation loss to a Western Conference team this season (8-1-2). And the loss Saturday ended a nine-game point streak (7-0-2). So for all the woeful occurrences, there's still a lot to be desired about the position the defending champs are in, all things considered.

"There's no panic," Perron said. "I'm not even close to saying there needs to be panic. It's just a little bit of a wakeup call that we have to refocus here in the next few days and just get our game back and just kind of go back to what makes us successful, changing at the right time for the other guy to go on the ice, to go into the o-zone and get some tired guys on the ice versus coming on the ice and having to go play 20 seconds in the d-zone. That way it's tough to create offense because you're a little bit tired when you get up the ice. Just leaving guys in good situation. Just basically from ground up, just kind of go back to all the little details that we do so well."

(11-16-19) Ducks-Blues Gameday Lineup

By LOU KORAC
ST. LOUIS -- Klim Kostin will likely make his NHL debut when the Blues (12-3-5) begin a four-game homestand against the Anaheim Ducks (9-9-2) on Saturday (7 p.m.; FS-MW, ESPN 101.1-FM).

Kostin, the 31st pick in the 2017 NHL Draft, was recalled on Wednesday with the Blues in need of an extra forward in light of injuries to Vladimir Tarasenko (shoulder) and Alexander Steen (ankle).

Kostin, 20, had eight points (three goals, five assists) in 14 games with San Antonio of the American Hockey League.

Blues coach Craig Berube wasn't committed to saying Kostin would play on Saturday after not playing in a 3-2 overtime loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Friday; he will address those questions at 5:30 p.m. today.

Look for Jacob de la Rose, acquired from Detroit for Robby Fabbri last week and has no points in three games with St. Louis, to be who Kostin replaces and play with Tyler Bozak and Sammy Blais against the Ducks, who are winless in five straight (0-3-2).

Another lineup change expected is Robert Bortuzzo, a healthy scratch the past eight games, to replace Carl Gunnarsson on the blue line.

The Blues did not hold a full morning skate on Saturday; only Jordan Binnington, who will start in goal, professional tryout candidates Troy Brouwer and Jamie McGinn as well as Gunnarsson and de la Rose were on the ice.

The Blues are 7-0-2 the past 10 games and will look to extend their point streak to 10 games in David Perron's 800th NHL game.

- - -

The fabric of the Blues' fourth line is exactly what they gave them during the Stanley Cup Final last summer against the Boston Bruins.

Forechecking, puck possession, forcing turnovers, hit anything that moved, and with gaining confidence, play more minutes and against the top players.

Mackenzie MacEachern is quickly learning to grasp what Steen did with Ivan Barbashev and Oskar Sundqvist on that line and how they have had the ability to shut down anyone they're on the ice against.

And now, that line has the ability to produce on offense.

MacEachern scored again on Friday, and he has four points (two goals, two assists) in seven November games and is identifying as a key member of the Blues moving forward.

"Last year in that second half, especially in that playoff push, I think they created their own identity," MacEachern said. "I think they were playing the most minutes on the team and were a hassle to play against and again to start the season as well. Obviously things got changed around, so I would slide in there. I just try to do 'Steener' does, try to be a responsible player and gets in on the pucks. I just try to feed off that so they don't lose a step. I try and incorporate my speed and my body as well and kind of create space for them down low and create plays."

Barbashev has five points (two goals, three assists) in November, and Sundqvist has one goal and three assists in November, giving that line a combined 13 points in seven games (five goals, eight assists).

"They're a huge part of our team," Berube said. "They set the tone, I think, game to game on how we want to play it with our forecheck, physical play, just skating and hounding. They've been really good, that line, and they're popping in a goal here or there, which is really important. They do a lot of little things for us out there every night. They're a big part of the team.

Berube started the line for eight straight games, and for the first time, the line didn't start on Friday, but it shows just how much the Blues value the line's contributions.

"I think it gives our line confidence as well that [Berube] kid of trusts us to start the game and create the pace that he wants for our team," MacEachern said. "I think that's part of our role, that we kind of have to bring that energy, especially those back-to-backs when the team might be a little low on energy and they kind of lean on us for the energy. That's pretty cool, especially to start the game and we can build our game from there.

"With all our speed and all our abilities, we kind of mesh together. Barby and Sunny are good with the puck, so I just try and get the puck to them, get in on the forecheck and get it to them as quick as I can and go from there. Chief giving us that confidence to start games and giving us more and more minutes has enabled us to play with more confidence out there as well."

- - -

The Blues' projected lineup:

Jaden Schwartz-Brayden Schenn-Sammy Blais

Zach Sanford-Ryan O'Reilly-David Perron

Klim Kostin-Tyler Bozak-Robert Thomas

Mackenzie MacEachern-Ivan Barbashev-Oskar Sundqvist

Colton Parayko-Alex Pietrangelo

Jay Bouwmeester-Justin Faulk

Vince Dunn-Robert Bortuzzo

Jordan Binnington will start in goal; Jake Allen will be the backup.  

Healthy scratches are expected to be Carl Gunnarsson and Jacob de la Rose. Vladimir Tarasenko (shoulder) and Alexander Steen (ankle) are out.

- - -

The Ducks' projected lineup:

Nick Ritchie-Ryan Getzlaf-Ondrej Kase

Rickard Rakell-Adam Henrique-Jakob Silfverberg

Max Jones-Sam Steel-Troy Terry

Devin Shore-Derek Grant-Carter Rowney

Jacob Larsson-Cam Fowler

Michael Del Zotto-Erik Gudbranson

Brendan Guhle-Korbinian Holzer

John Gibson will start in goal; Ryan Miller will be the backup.

Healthy scratches are Nicolas Deslauriers and Josh Mahura. Josh Manson (lower body) and Hampus Lindholm (lower body) are out.