Islanders at Blues
The St. Louis Blues try to continue their record-setting start when they host the New York Islanders on Saturday with their chances of doing so greatly enhanced if their defensemen keep putting the puck in the net. St. Louis' blueliners have scored 19 of the club's 54 goals this season after Alex Pietrangelo and Joel Edmundson scored in Thursday's 3-2 shootout victory over Arizona.
''... The D are getting active and it’s just the result of us joining the play,'' Pietrangelo, who leads NHL defensemen with seven goals, told reporters. "... We’re finding ways to score.” The Blues have won three straight and own the best record in the Western Conference, and their 27 points through 17 games equals the club record set in 2013-14. New York was shut out for the second time this season, 5-0 at Dallas on Friday, and has lost three of its last four games. St. Louis won the last two meetings - the last 3-2 in a shootout Oct. 9 - with Vladimir Tarasenko scoring twice in each contest, giving him seven goals in nine games versus the Islanders.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, MSG Plus 2 (New York), FSN Midwest (St. Louis)
ABOUT THE ISLANDERS (8-6-2): Captain John Tavares, who has a team-most 12 goals and shares the club points lead (18) with Josh Bailey, has been kept off the scoresheet in two straight contests after a four-game point streak (six goals, two assists) snapped Friday. Defenseman Adam Pelech (four assists, plus-5 in 12 games) missed his fourth straight contest Friday with an upper-body injury. Anthony Beauvillier needed to be helped off the ice during the third period Friday after taking consecutive shots off his right foot/ankle area.
ABOUT THE BLUES (13-3-1): Tarasenko (eight goals, 20 points this season) has scored twice to go along with four assists in his last three games and is one point behind Jaden Schwartz (nine goals, 21 points) for the club lead. Edmundson has five goals with Carl Gunnarsson (three) and rookie Vince Dunn (two) also producing multiple tallies from the blue line. Jake Allen (9-3-1, 2.36 goals-against average, .921 save percentage) is expected to be in goal vying for his 100th career victory (99-49-13, 2.37, .916).
OVERTIME
1. St. Louis' power play is 2-for-19 in the last seven games.
2. New York rookie F Mathew Barzal (three goals, 11 assists this season) had his six-game point streak end Friday.
3. Blues F Vladimir Sobotka (three goals, 10 points) is expected to play his 400th career game Saturday.