BLUES VS. ISLANDERS
When: Thursday, Nov. 3 at 7 p.m. CT
Where: Enterprise Center in St. Louis, MO
Watch: Bally Sports Midwest, Bally Sports app
Listen: 101 ESPN, Blues App
Tickets: Online at ticketmaster.com
TEAM SNAPSHOTS
BLUES With the calendar flipped to November, the Blues are hoping to put their recent struggles behind them and turn the tide on the early days of their season. Their 5-1 loss vs. the Los Angeles Kings at Enterprise Center on Monday was a difficult one, leading to GM Doug Armstrong speaking to the team and then the media on Tuesday at Centene Community Ice Center.
“It’s (been) ten percent of the season,” said Armstrong. “So I don’t want to overreact, but we certainly can’t underreact… I believe in the coach, I believe in the system – this isn’t a system issue, it’s a competitive issue… I do believe in this group.”
The offense that electrified a season ago has gone cold to start the year, with the Blues ranking last in the NHL in goals-scored-per-game thus far. With eight 20-goal scorers from 2021-22 still on the roster, it would seem like only a matter of time before the goals start flowing again.
The Blues host the Islanders on Thursday to wrap up their three-game – and four out of five – homestand before a two-game road trip in Boston and Philadelphia next week.
Currently, their record of 3-5-0 is worth six points and eighth place in the Central Division.
ISLANDERS The New York Islanders are off to a solid start, continuing their strong second half from last season. An 11-game losing streak last November effectively ended their season before it could get going, and they ended up the first team outside the Eastern Conference playoff picture.
The Islanders are on an active four-game win streak heading into Thursday’s game in St. Louis, including an impressive win over the Colorado Avalanche on Oct. 29. Trailing 3-0 midway through the second period, New York scored five unanswered goals for a comeback win over the defending champions.
Ilya Sorokin has been red hot between the pipes during this recent stretch, winning his last three starts and stopping 95 out of 98 shots faced. Among NHL goaltenders who have started at least five games this year, Sorokin ranks No. 3 in goals-against average (2.04) and No. 4 in save percentage (.935) as of Wendesday afternoon.
New York brings a 6-4-0 record to Enterprise Center, worth 12 points and fourth place in the Metropolitan Division.
HEAD-TO-HEAD The Blues went 1-1-0 against the Islanders last season, with each team winning on their home ice. The Blues have won their last two matchups at Enterprise Center, including a 6-1 win on April 9 last season.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
BLUES Vladimir Tarasenko, who is slated to dress in his 615th career game and will surpass Barclay Plager for 12th on the Blues all-time leaderboard. In 15 career games against the Islanders, Tarasenko has nine goals and six assists for 15 total points.
ISLANDERS Mathew Barzal, who agreed to an eight-year, $73.2 million contract extension with the Islanders during training camp this year. Still looking for his first goal, the 25-year-old forward shares No. 7 in the NHL with 10 assists this season.
BLUE NOTES
Thomas Greiss and Nick Leddy were members of the Islanders in 2018-19 when Greiss and Robin Lehner won the Jennings Trophy as the goaltenders on the team with the fewest goals allowed in a season… Greiss played five seasons and 193 games as an Islander, and Leddy played seven seasons and 518 games… Leddy scored one of his two goals as a Blue last season in the April 9 game against his former club… The Blues have given up just five first-period goals this season, sharing fourth fewest in the NHL.
