GDT #11: 10/31/15 | 7:00PM CST | v Wild | FSMW/KMOX

[cprice12]

Uh...dmiles?
Well, I guess I have to do everything around here.

10-31-15_wild.jpg (99.17 KiB) Viewed 1993 times

[cprice12]

When • Saturday at 7 p.m.

Where • Scottrade Center

TV, radio • Fox Sports Midwest, KMOX (1120 AM)

Blues • The Blues have gotten five of six points so far in their five-game homestand, their longest of the season. (They have another five-game homestand in December.) They’ve lost just two of their first 10 games in regulation, but one of them was to Saturday’s opponent, the Wild. That loss came in St. Paul in the second game of the season, a 3-2 loss in which the Blues outshot the Wild 13 to one in the third period but did not get the tying goal. The Blues have lost three straight to the Wild since beating them 6-1 in Game 4 of the playoffs last season. Jake Allen will start in goal, his third straight start. Vladimir Tarasenko has 41 NHL games in which he has two or more points; six have come against Minnesota.

Wild • Minnesota beat Chicago 5-4 on Friday night in their first meeting since the Blackhawks swept the Wild in the second round of the 2015 playoffs. This is already the third set of back-to-back games for the Wild this season; they’ve split each of the first two. Zach Parise has seven goals (three on the power play), tying him for second in the league. The Wild went into the Chicago game ranking 23rd in penalty killing at 78.3 percent, the worst in the Western Conference. (Nine of the 10 worst teams in penalty killing are in the East.) Wild coach Mike Yeo was leaning toward using Darcy Kuemper in goal against the Blues. Kuemper was lifted from his last start after giving up four goals to Winnipeg.

Injuries • Blues — D Kevin Shattenkirk (lower-body injury), F Vladimir Tarasenko (leg), D Colton Parayko (foot), questionable; F Scottie Upshall (sore), probable. Wild — C Tyler Graovac (groin), D Christian Folin (lower body), out.

[cprice12]

Parayko is in tonight.
Tarasenko is apparently a game time decision.

[theohall]

NHL Preview

WILD (7-2-1) at BLUES (7-2-1)

TV: FS-N, FS-WI, FS-MW

Season series: Charlie Coyle's two goals helped the Minnesota Wild defeat the St. Louis Blues 3-2 at Xcel Energy Center on Oct. 10. Devan Dubnyk made 30 saves for the Wild, who also got a goal from Zach Parise and two assists from Ryan Suter. Vladimir Tarasenko and Alexander Steen each had a goal and an assist for St. Louis.

Wild team scope: Darcy Kuemper could get the start in goal after Devan Dubnyk made 25 saves on 29 shots in a 5-4 victory against the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday, Minnesota's fifth in as many home games. The Wild will be without forward Justin Fontaine, who departed 1:17 into the second period of the game Friday after he and Chicago's Andrew Desjardins made knee-to-knee contact. Coach Mike Yeo said Fontaine is week-to-week with a knee injury. The Wild comes to St. Louis having won four of its past five games, but Minnesota is 0-2-1 in its past three road games. Eight of the Wild's 10 games have been decided by one goal; they are 6-1-1 in those games.

Blues team scope: Rookie defenseman Colton Parayko will be a game-time decision. He scored the winning goal in a 2-1 victory against the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday, but left with 6:30 remaining in the third period. Parayko was seen in a walking boot Friday, and coach Ken Hitchcock said after an optional practice that it was "a protection thing. ... He just fell on the ice. We'll see where he's at [Saturday]." Tarasenko, who left the ice Thursday for the final four minutes of the second period but returned to finish the game, did not skate Friday; however, Hitchcock said he was "good. He's ready to go." Defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk (lower body) took part in practice Friday but his status is unknown. He's missed seven straight games. Forward Scottie Upshall, who missed Thursday with an undisclosed ailment, skated and Hitchcock said he could be available. Jake Allen, who has allowed one goal on 49 shots the past two games, will start in goal.

[Krigloch the Furious]

No Tarasenko sucks, but im sure he just needs a little rest.
Im guessing he'll be back Tuesday or Wednesday
Jake Allen in net doesnt help my fantasy team. lol

[theohall]

With Tarasenko out, I'd expect to see the Blues playing the way they played the Wild in the playoffs last season trying to keep possession and keep the score low. I know, it didn't work and don't expect it to work tonight either.

[dmiles2186]

Thanks Curt! Sorry, busy Saturday morning. I've failed two Saturdays in a row.

[cardsfan04]

https://twitter.com/jprutherford/status/660495544662364160 lol

[glen a richter]

Parayko to the rescue.

Blues 3
Wild 1
Parayko 1g 1a +3

[Robb_K]

Backes!!! From the blueline!!!! Blues 1-0!!!!

[Robb_K]

Rattie shoots too straight into the pads on a nice breakaway. But I'm glad to see him active on offence.

[Robb_K]

Steen!!! Sends it by Dubnyk!!! Blues 2-0!!! They're rising to the occasion!!!

[Robb_K]

Allen has looked good on his positioning tonight. And he's playing aggressive, moving outward from the net and making himself big, cutting down the angles.

[Robb_K]

Kiss of death, eh? I guess I should stop commenting. Zucker shoots it by Allen.

[Robb_K]

Edmundson has not looked good during his last 2 shifts.

Blues tied 2-2 after 1. Going into this game with this lineup, I'd have been happy about that. But not after leading 2-0, and making those unforced errors leading to goals.

[Robb_K]

Nice to see Bortuzzo standing on The Wild's goal line shoving Wild players!

Now Lehtera hooks, and we go back on The PK. Another crucial kill needed!

[Robb_K]

5 on 3 against The Blues for 1 minute, because Ott made a great steal and tried to bounce it off the high glass. But it was so close the refs couldn't tell if it hit. But, they play terrifically, killing of the 1st penalty, and now the 2nd!!! Big se4quence in this game!!

[theohall]

The Blues need to quit worrying about trying to make an offensive play every time they leave the zone. Just getting the puck out and resetting forces the opponent to leave the darn zone. Circling around in your own end and repeatedly passing back to each other because there isn't an offensive chance available is idiotic. It doesn't force the other team to actually have to work to enter the offensive zone. This is what led to the Wild's 2nd goal is what is allowing the Wild to currently maintain this pressure - which is self-inflicted.

[Robb_K]

Blues need to take the lead on this power play!

[Robb_K]

Blues had a chance to take the lead when Fabbri made a great pass to Lehtera, who had an open net, but he couldn't get enough control.

But, this horribly undermanned team being 2-2 at the end of 2 is okay. If they keep playing tightly, and don't have any of those breakdowns they had when they got tired after all the PK time, AND Allen can stay sharp, maybe they'll pull out a hard-fought win.