St. Louis Blues vs. New York Rangers Preview
As the St. Louis Blues embark on a pivotal stage of their season-long road journey, they are set to face the struggling New York Rangers on Monday evening at 6 p.m. This matchup features the Blues, who hold a record of 7 wins, 9 losses, and 6 overtime losses, looking to secure points in four consecutive games as they wrap up a five-game road trip. The Rangers, with a record of 10-11-2, are in a tough spot, particularly on home ice where they have managed just one win in nine outings, scoring a mere 13 goals and suffering five shutouts in the process.
Recent Performance
After a recent 2-1 victory against the New York Islanders, the Blues (1-0-2 in their current trip) are eager to build on their momentum. Blues head coach Jim Montgomery expressed confidence in his team’s ability to adapt, noting,
“We’ve been resilient, we keep believing, we keep playing the right way, we got rewarded for it,”
even in the face of previous overtime losses to the Toronto Maple Leafs and Philadelphia Flyers.
Lineup Changes
In an effort to enhance their lineup for the upcoming game, the Blues will see Oskar Sundqvist, who was a healthy scratch during Saturday’s match, return in place of Nick Bjugstad. Additionally, Logan Mailloux, recently recalled after a strong showing in the minors, will step in for Matthew Kessel, while Joel Hofer takes over goaltending duties from Jordan Binnington, who had a stellar performance with 30 saves during the previous game.
Mailloux commented on his preparations, saying,
“It’s about bringing some consistency, moving pucks, defending well, and being tough to play against. It was beneficial for me to get time in various game situations to regain my feel.”
Exciting Line Combinations
A line combination generating excitement involves Brayden Schenn and Pavel Buchnevich supporting rookie Dalibor Dvorsky, the 10th overall pick from the 2023 NHL Draft. Schenn netted his first goal in 12 games in the last outing, and if Buchnevich can snap his goal drought of 14 games, it would be a significant boost for the team. Schenn remarked,
“We’ve had many combinations throughout the season, and I hope this brings some stability. This trio feels like we’re starting to build something great together.”
Montgomery praised the developing chemistry among the players, highlighting their improved connections on the ice across all zones in recent games, saying,
“They’re reading off each other and making plays.”
Rangers’ Challenges
Meanwhile, the Rangers are missing key players, including J.T. Miller, Jonathan Quick, Will Borgen, and Matt Rempe, with Vincent Trocheck’s status as questionable due to an undisclosed injury.
Projected Lineups
Blues:
Jake Neighbours – Robert Thomas – Jimmy Snuggerud
Brayden Schenn – Dalibor Dvorsky – Pavel Buchnevich
Dylan Holloway – Pius Suter – Jordan Kyrou
Alexey Toropchenko – Oskar Sundqvist – Nathan Walker
Philip Broberg – Colton Parayko
Tyler Tucker – Justin Faulk
Cam Fowler – Logan Mailloux
Goalie: Joel Hofer • Backup: Jordan Binnington
Scratches: Mathieu Joseph, Nick Bjugstad, Matthew Kessel
Injuries: None.
Rangers:
Will Cuylle – Mika Zibanejad – Alexis Lafreniere
Artemi Panarin – Jusso Parssinen – Johnny Brodzinski
Connor Sheary – Noah Laba – Brett Berard
Adam Edstrom – Sam Carrick – Taylor Raddysh
Vladislav Gavrikov – Adam Fox
Carson Soucy – Braden Schneider
Urho Vaakanainen – Matthew Robertson
Goalie: Igor Shesterkin • Backup: Dylan Garand
Scratches: None.
Injuries: J.T. Miller (upper body), Jonathan Quick (lower body), Will Borgen (upper body), Matt Rempe (upper body); Vincent Trocheck (undisclosed) is questionable.
