Blackhawks at Blues
The St. Louis Blues are intent on rejoining the postseason conversation in 2018-19, but the primary talk surrounding the team at the moment stems from coach Mike Yeo discussing his job security. The Blues look to get back on their feet after dropping five of six when they host the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday in the second contest of their season-high seven-game homestand.
"Heck, my job should be in question right now. That comes with the trade, but I'm not going to coach to save my job. I'm going to coach to try and win a Stanley Cup," Yeo said after seeing his team surrender 12 goals during its two-game losing skid following a 7-4 setback versus Columbus on Thursday. Vladimir Tarasenko scored on the power play in that contest and the Blues tallied twice with the man advantage in each of their previous two encounters with Chicago this season, only to skate away with overtime setbacks. Corey Crawford missed both of those games as he recovered from a concussion, but the two-time Stanley Cup champion has yielded one goal in each of his last three outings -- including Thursday's 4-1 win over the New York Rangers. "I never would've imagined him playing at the level he's playing after being off for around 10 months," captain Jonathan Toews said.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, WGN (Chicago), FS Midwest (St. Louis)
ABOUT THE BLACKHAWKS (6-2-2): Patrick Kane scored his team-leading ninth goal of the season on Thursday, giving him four goals and two assists during his four-game point streak. "He has a knack of scoring some big goals, important goals," coach Joel Quenneville said of Kane. "He elevates that line no matter who he's with." The former Hart Trophy winner scored and set up a goal in a 5-4 overtime win at St. Louis on Oct. 6 and also tallied in a 4-3 overtime triumph on Oct. 13.
ABOUT THE BLUES (2-4-3): After going on the offensive with his fifth point in six games against the Blue Jackets, Tarasenko came to the defense of his coach following a 23-minute players-only meeting. "Everybody supports our coaching staff," the 26-year-old Russian said. "Everybody supports our GM and coaching staff and people who work here. There is no question anyone thinking (Yeo) doesn't deserve to be here. We support him. We believe in him. That's why he's our coach right now and we will play for him so hard." Tarasenko has blasted the Blackhawks, collecting 14 goals and seven assists in his last 16 encounters -- including a two-goal performance in the first meeting this season.
OVERTIME
1. Toews and RW Alex DeBrincat, who netted the respective overtime winners against St. Louis, also scored versus the Rangers.
2. Blues C Ryan O'Reilly is riding a four-game point streak (two goals, five assists) while LW Alexander Steen has six points (three goals, three assists) in his last seven contests.
3. The Blackhawks will begin a stretch of four out of five games on the road, where they own a 3-0-1 mark this season.