The Blues will have to put Monday’s disappointment behind them quickly as they play three games over the next four nights as they face the Edmonton Oilers tonight at 8 pm et/7 pm ct off a 4-0 shutout loss to the Winnipeg Jets this past Monday. The last time the Blues faced Edmonton, they came away with a 2-0 at Rogers Place on Saturday, Oct. 22. Now back at Enterprise Center’s home ice for this interdivisional Western Conference matchup, who holds the advantage heading into tonight’s clash?
The projected goalie matchup is Stuart Skinner for Edmonton and Blues starter Jordan Binnington. The matchup between the two is as such- 0-1-0, 1.69 GAA, .944 SV%, 0 SO for Skinner and 3-0-0, 1.65 GAA, .940 SV%, 1 SO for Binnington.
On top of that, St. Louis is already dealing with injuries to key players as LW Pavel Buchnevich (lower body) and LW Brandon Saad (upper body) were inactive Monday. Buchnevich was placed on IR, and he’ll be out for at least a week. After tonight’s Edmonton meeting, the Blues jet over southeast for a quick getaway game in Nashville on Thursday, and then will play four of their next five games at Enterprise Center.
St. Louis has started their season with a four-game streak without allowing a power-play goal, setting a new franchise record. They are one of only three teams so far to kill off all their penalties, including four separate opportunities on Monday night at Winnipeg.
The Blues enter Wednesday’s matchup with a 3-1-0 record, worth six points and third place – still with the fewest games played – in the Central Division. Players to watch for St. Louis include defenseman Justin Faulk, who currently leads the club with three goals in four games this season and sealed the shutout win at Edmonton with an empty-netter. On the Oilers side, Leon Draisaitl, whose 11 points on the season share second in the NHL, and his league-leading 8 assists provide the biggest challenge for the Blues tonight.