Blues at Jets
It is far too early in the season to draw any definitive conclusions, but the St. Louis Blues already are making an impression during their current six-game road trip. The Blues visit the Winnipeg Jets on Sunday riding a three-game winning streak after dropping the opening contest of their early-season trek, and in Friday’s victory at Vancouver, they showed plenty of resolve as a three-goal lead with less than four minutes remaining nearly disappeared.
“It wasn’t pretty, but it doesn’t have to be,” goaltender Jake Allen told reporters after making 31 saves, several down the stretch while the Canucks whittled the their deficit to one with a pair of late tallies. Of concern is the loss of center Paul Stastny, who left Friday’s game with a right leg injury. Now the Blues go to Winnipeg to face a Jets squad with which they are tied atop the Central Division. The Jets lead the NHL in goals with 18 in their five games but were sluggish for most of their home opener against Calgary on Friday before Dustin Byfuglien scored the game-winner with 1:28 remaining in a 3-1 triumph.
TV: 3 p.m. ET, FSN Midwest (St. Louis), TSN 3 (Winnipeg)
ABOUT THE BLUES (4-1-0): Vladimir Tarasenko has been fantastic one season after scoring 37 goals, recording points in all five games and totaling two assists against Vancouver. Troy Brouwer has notched four assists, but losing Stastny – who recorded an assist for the fourth consecutive game before taking a shot off his leg that will keep him sidelined for the remainder of the road trip – leaves a big hole in the middle of the Blues’ first line. Defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk has missed the last two games with a lower-body injury.
ABOUT THE JETS (4-1-0): Blake Wheeler followed Byfuglien’s go-ahead goal with an empty-net tally Friday, giving him a five-game points streak and a team-high seven points. Ondrej Pavelec recorded 19 saves and has combined with Michael Hutchinson to surrender 1.8 goals per contest through five games. Bryan Little has tallied three times in his last two games and the Jets have outscored opponents 8-2 in third periods.
OVERTIME
1. Jori Lehtera’s goal in the first period Friday marked the first time this season the Blues have not surrendered the game’s opening tally.
2. The Jets held Calgary to nine shots in the final 40 minutes Friday, allowing just one in a 19-minute, 33-second stretch.
3. Veteran C Scott Gomez made his debut with the Blues on Friday, recording one shot over 7:14 of ice time in his 1,046th NHL contest.