Islanders at Blues
The St. Louis Blues look to snap a modest two-game losing streak when they return home for Thursday's conest against the reeling New York Islanders. After breezing to a 4-1 triumph over Colorado on Nov. 27, the Blues wrapped up their three-game road trip by losing consecutive games in regulation for the first time this season. St. Louis suffered a 6-3 setback to San Jose on Friday before skating to a 3-2 loss versus Los Angeles three nights later.
While the Blues have encountered a hiccup after a season-high five-game winning streak, they'll receive no sympathy from an Islanders team that is 0-5-2 in its last seven. New York suffered its second straight 3-2 overtime loss as Pittsburgh captain Sidney Crosby scored the tying goal in the third period before netting the winner 3:44 into the extra session. The road won't get any easier for the sinking Islanders, who face Western Conference heavyweights Los Angeles, Anaheim, San Jose and Phoenix on their five-game trek.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, MSG Plus (New York), FSN Midwest (St. Louis)
ABOUT THE ISLANDERS (8-15-5): Although he notched a pair of assists on Kyle Okposo's first-period goals, captain John Tavares wasn't thrilled with the end result. "We can talk about we did some good things, (but) we just didn't get the job done at the end of the day," he said. "That's what matters most." Defenseman Calvin de Haan, who joined Tavares by being selected in the first round of the 2009 draft, received a rude welcome to the NHL as he was torched by Crosby on the overtime goal.
ABOUT THE BLUES (18-5-3): Coach Ken Hitchcock has noticed a common denominator in each of the team's five regulation losses this season. "The trend is we've had slow starts, outplayed significantly in the first period, out-competed, not ready for the tempo," Hitchcock told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. "As players and coaches, we have to get ready for the tempo of the game." The Blues have been outscored 17-4 in the first two periods of those contests.
OVERTIME
1. St. Louis LW Jaden Schwartz notched an assist versus Los Angeles to extend his point streak to seven games (three goals, five assists).
2. Islanders LW Thomas Vanek has recorded three goals and three assists over his last six contests but has yet to tally in six career games against the Blues.
3. St. Louis has yielded two power-play goals in its last 22 opportunities.