Blues News

St. Louis Blues defenseman Mike Weaver among scratches
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November 20
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 
"The Blues have eight defensemen on their roster, and after Thursday's game against Phoenix, four of them have been a healthy scratch this season. Mike Weaver was taken out of the lineup after playing in the Blues' first 18 games. He was a healthy scratch Thursday along with Darryl Sydor, who has been a scratch in three of the last five games. "Nobody ever wants to sit out a game," Weaver said. "I feel like I've played some of my best hockey, but sometimes you've just got to put the team first. They've got some decisions to make as far as the defensive side of things. ... Hey, we've just got to win games, no matter who's in the lineup. "The guys sitting out have to give the guys in the ..."
St. Louis Blues' Erik Johnson nets winner in OT
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November 20
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 
"The Blues have wasted more than their share of top-notch goaltending performances and Thursday night potentially could have been another one to fall into that category. Blues goalie Chris Mason made 34 saves, including a couple in the third period that went straight to the highlight reel, keeping the Blues and the Phoenix Coyotes tied as the game went into overtime. Then 17 seconds into overtime, Blues defenseman Erik Johnson skated coast-to-coast and, from the high slot, ripped a shot between the legs of Phoenix goalie Ilya Bryzgalov for a 3-2 overtime triumph. It was a mob scene on the ice, as the victory marked the Blues' first in OT in five attempts this season and their first win over ..."
Blues have position of strength
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November 18
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 
"John and Andy Plus 8. OK, maybe it doesn't have the same ring as Jon and Kate, but the St. Louis Blues have their own hockey reality program going on. The reality is they currently have eight defensemen for six defenseman jobs. Is it a luxury, is it a distraction, is it a stack of chips toward a possible trade? You'll just have to stay tuned. "That's a (personnel) decision that I don't make, when you have eight guys," Blues coach Andy Murray said. "It's a great situation to be in. Normally we were happy if we could have five healthy NHL bodies. This is the first time I've coached eight healthy NHL defensemen. It's kind of a nice problem to have." Nice, because NHL defensemen are like ..."
Colaiacovo returns
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November 15
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 
"As bad as a recent bout with the flu was for Blues defenseman Carlo Colaiacovo, sitting out as a healthy scratch after that was more painful. On Saturday night, Colaiacovo played his first game since Oct. 24, missing four games with the flu and four more as he worked his way back into the lineup. "I'm not going to look back. ... It's done, it's over with," Colaiacovo said. "I've been able to take in the situation and watch the last couple of games. It made me work harder off the ice to get back in there." Colaiacovo took the place of Darryl Sydor in the lineup Saturday against San Jose. "Carlo has worked hard in practice," Blues coach Andy Murray said. "Carlo in my opinion was one of our ..."
Blues fall again at home
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November 15
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 
"The message was heard loud and clearly. Blues defenseman Barret Jackman was one of several players to take note of owner Dave Checketts' declaration on Friday that the "wait is over" and "it's time to win." "When it comes from the top like that, results have to come now," Jackman said. "Now" can be a relative term, however, when the next game on the schedule is against the San Jose Sharks, who came into Saturday's matchup leading the NHL with 29 points. The Blues registered a season-high 39 shots on goal, but went 0 for six on the power play in a 3-1 loss to San Jose. In a tight finish, the Blues inexplicably put themselves down a man for the final 1 minute, 41 seconds of the game, taking ..."
San Jose Sharks weather storm from fired-up Blues in St. Louis
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November 15
San Jose Mercury News
 
"Given the choice, maybe the Sharks would have picked a different night to show up at Scottrade Center. After all, the owner of the St. Louis Blues had just ripped his team publicly for its losing record and was particularly upset about its failure to outwork opponents on home ice. "Absolutely, we were aware of that, and we knew they were going to come out like that," said Sharks goalie Evgeni Nabokov, who faced a barrage of St. Louis shots early. "They were shooting from everywhere." But the Sharks, it turned out, were up for the challenge. Despite being outshot 39-17, San Jose came away with a 3-1 victory on two goals 16 seconds apart by Dany Heatley and Jed Ortmeyer in the second period ..."
Backes leaves game in Blues loss
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November 15
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 
"The message was heard loud and clearly. Blues defenseman Barret Jackman was one of several players to take note of owner Dave Checketts' declaration on Friday that the "wait is over" and "it's time to win." "When it comes from the top like that, results have to come now," Jackman said. "Now" can be a relative term, however, when the next game on the schedule is against the San Jose Sharks, who came into Saturday's matchup leading the NHL with 29 points. The Blues registered a season-high 39 shots on goal, but went 0 for six on the power play in a 3-1 loss to San Jose. In a tight finish, the Blues inexplicably put themselves down a man for the final 1 minute, 41 seconds of the game, taking ..."
MATCHUP: St. Louis Blues vs. San Jose Sharks
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November 14
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 
"BLUES PREVIEW - The Blues finished 25 points behind San Jose last season, but the Blues had a fair amount of success against the President's Trophy winner, going 2-1-1 against the Sharks. SHARKS PREVIEW - San Jose is back on top of the NHL standings with 29 points this season, but the Sharks are coming to St. Louis after losing a 3-2 shootout to Dallas. WHAT TO WATCH - How will the Blues respond to owner Dave Checketts calling them out? Checketts is disturbed by the Blues' 2-6-1 record at Scottrade Center, so the energy level tonight will be interesting."
Kariya adjusts to defensive unit role
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November 13
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 
"Three games into a bold move by the Blues, left winger Paul Kariya is still searching for his offensive touch. A week ago in Philadelphia, Kariya was placed on the team's defensive stopper unit and taken off the power play. Despite registering nine shots in the last three games, including a season-high five shots against Vancouver on Tuesday, Kariya remains pointless. In fact, going into Thursday's game against Nashville, his scoring drought had extended to eight games. "I thought we've played very well," Kariya said of the stopper unit. "We haven't seen much (point-wise), but we've been creating a lot of scoring chances, creating a lot of scoring chances. "It's been great playing with ..."
Late goal dooms the Blues
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November 13
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 
"Despite a crushing hit by T.J. Oshie, Nashville's Jordin Tootoo unleashed a shot from outside the right faceoff circle and scored between the legs of goalie Chris Mason. The unlikely scenario - it was Tootoo's first goal of the season and Mason had stopped 33 of 34 shots up to that point - helped lift the Predators to a 3-1 victory Thursday night at Scottrade Center. Tootoo's goal broke a 1-1 tie with 3 minutes, 43 seconds left in the third period and David Legwand added an empty netter with 6 seconds to play for his first goal of the season. The Blues' bid to win back-to-back games for the first time since their season-opening trip to Sweden fell unsuccessful. Following Tuesday's ..."
Vancouver Canucks beaten badly by St. Louis Blues
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November 11
Vancouver Sun
 
"Everyone received free Big Macs. But there were no happy meals for the Vancouver Canucks, who had their lunch — and dinner and today's breakfast — eaten by the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday night. That Roberto Luongo was still willing to start the second period after what he witnessed in the first demonstrated how loyal and committed he really is to Vancouver. Canuck backup goalie Andrew Raycroft saved his worst for last, allowing four goals in the first 7 1/2 minutes of a 6-1 loss to the St. Louis Blues, who eclipsed their total offensive output from the previous five games and triggered a hamburger promotion for their fans. It was a horrible end to Raycroft's temp contract as starter and a ..."
Strategy for OT has several variables
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November 11
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 
"The Blues had a reunion with the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday night, teams that met in the first round of Western Conference playoffs last April. Suffice to say, the Blues enjoyed the re-acquaintance. Winless in five games, and seemingly clueless on offense, the home team scored early and often in dispatching their playoff nemesis in convincing 6-1 fashion at Scottrade Center. Seems ironic the Blues would break a slump against a Vancouver club that swept them from last season's playoffs in four fruitless games. Then again, the adversaries reached the postseason stage by being among the league's best second-half teams. They have not been among the best first-half teams in 2009-2010. So ..."
Luongo won't start in St. Louis
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November 10
Vancouver Province
 
"Caution has replaced optimism as Roberto Luongo and Daniel Sedin won't play Tuesday in St. Louis, despite progress in recovering from rib and foot injuries respectively. They could play Thursday in Detroit. Luongo recovered from a 48-hour flu virus and practised fully for the first time Monday since suffering a hairline rib fracture Oct. 24. But sharpening his technical game and dealing with muscle soreness will place the Vancouver Canucks starting goaltender in a backup role to Andrew Raycroft against the Blues. That scenario would also return Cory Schneider to the Manitoba Moose. "Obviously, there's a little soreness there because the muscles haven't been worked that much, but if it ..."
Canucks hoping to deepen St. Louis' blues
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November 10
Vancouver Province
 
"This was supposed to be the year of the Great Leap Forward for the St. Louis Blues. The Blues, decimated by injuries to key players last season, confounded onlookers by producing the best record in the second half of the NHL schedule before bowing to the Vancouver Canucks in four straight games in the playoffs. With their precocious young players more seasoned and the injured core players — Paul Kariya, Erik Johnson, Eric Brewer — back, the Blues were expected to be a force. It hasn't happened. It's early, of course, but the Blues have lost five in a row and inhabit 14th spot in the Western Conference. As is often the case in the NHL it's difficult to predict where the goals are going to ..."
Turnout warms Davidson as he accepts Hewitt Award
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November 10
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 
"If John Davidson had any doubts about how respected he was in NHL circles, and how deserving he was for the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award, all he had to do was peek into the crowd Monday afternoon as he delivered his acceptance speech. Former New York Rangers Mark Messier, Mike Richter and Brian Leetch, who was in town for his own Hockey Hall of Fame induction, were among the attendees at a luncheon. "They all showed up," said Davidson, humbled by the response to the Hewitt award, which recognizes dedication to broadcasting. "To see all those people, it was almost like a reunion ... from people involved with the Blues to people involved at Madison Square Garden, to the writers and the ..."
Hull enters Hall on thankful note
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November 10
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 
"It would have been difficult to top the scene at Scottrade Center on Dec. 5, 2006, the night the Blues retired Brett Hull's number. Emotions ran high as Hull stood next to his father, Bobby Hull, and the two watched Brett's No. 16 rise to the rafters. "It was a wonderful evening," Bobby Hull said. Perhaps it's best not to compare. Hull's induction into the 2009 Hockey Hall of Fame class Monday night, a ceremony predicted many years ago for the Blues' right winger, was recognition on a national level for the player who finished as the third-leading scorer in the history of the game. As much as St. Louisans want to cling to Hull, he won Stanley Cups in Dallas and Detroit, where he cemented ..."
Blues Getting Younger, More Skilled
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November 9
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 
"The Blues were almost at full strength Sunday afternoon, which is why veterans Keith Tkachuk and Darryl Sydor got a rest day. The return of forward Andy McDonald and defenseman Barret Jackman forced coach Andy Murray to make tough decisions. Defenseman Carlo Colaiacovo also sat while youngsters Alex Pietrangelo and Lars Eller played on. What if Alex Steen and D.J. King were healthy, too? Paul Kariya played both weekend games, but toiled on a checking line with Jay McClement and B.J. Crombeen. David Backes found himself centering the "energy line" with ruffian Cam Janssen and Brad Winchester. Back in the summer, Backes seemed like a good bet for Team USA in the the Olympics – but his ..."
'Lucky guy' Davidson gets ready for big night
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November 9
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 
"When multiple knee injuries led to the end of John Davidson's NHL playing career at age 29, Davidson wondered where "life was going to take me. You're prepared for anything, but the reality of it all sets in." Davidson never imagined a job that would grant him one-on-one conversations with legends such as Wayne Gretzky, trips to Norway and Japan for the Olympics, or watching the game he loved on a nightly basis free of charge. Those were the perks that came with being a TV broadcaster, but Davidson didn't want to be just a broadcaster. He wanted to be the best, and by many accounts, he reached that level. Tonight in Toronto, Davidson will be recognized for his accomplishments when the ..."
Blues play a sour note
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November 9
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 
"After playing 13 games this season without partaking in a shootout, the Blues found themselves Sunday in their second one in less than 24 hours. This one they didn't expect to be involved in, nor should they have been. The Blues enjoyed a two-goal lead late in the third period and were continuing to mount offense, but Atlanta tied the score with 3½ minutes remaining in regulation and won 3-2 in the shootout. The Blues' third consecutive overtime game led to a fifth consecutive loss, as the team dropped to 0-2-3 after the Thrashers claimed the shootout 2-0. The club will return home and resume play Tuesday against the Vancouver Canucks at Scottrade. "It means we're close ... one point in ..."
Flyers win shoot-out with Blues
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November 8
Philadelphia Inquirer
 
"The Flyers' injury list grew Saturday night. So did their winning streak. Winger Mika Pyorala scored the decisive goal in a shoot-out as the Flyers outlasted the St. Louis Blues, 2-1, in a physical game in front of a sellout crowd at the Wachovia Center. Playing in his first NHL season, Pyorala, 28, has yet to score an official goal. That didn't make Saturday night's score any less gratifying. "I can count on one hand how many times," Pyorala said when asked about his shoot-out experience in Europe. "But I can't tell you how relieved I am. It wasn't a monkey on my back anymore, it was a gorilla. It started bothering me a little bit and I was thinking about it, but it's great to get that ..."
A Hall of a career comes full circle for Brett Hull
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November 8
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 
"There never has been a story like it, in hockey, in any sport. There never has been a son follow his father's trail to the Hall of Fame with such prodigious steps, ones that he has taken toward being enshrined Monday in Toronto. There never has been an athlete in St. Louis with more layers — some gruff, some gracious, all unforgettable. "I remember we were in Los Angeles one night, and we're tied with less than a minute left to play," former Blues forward Kelly Chase recalled. "And (coach Brian Sutter) wants the checking line out there for a faceoff. But Brett jumps over the board and goes and stands by the dot. So now there's too many guys out there and they're arguing over who should be ..."
Pyorala wins for Flyers in shootout
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November 8
Camden Courier-Post
 
"Flyers coach John Stevens could have easily started backup goaltender Brian Boucher on Saturday night against the St. Louis Blues, and no one would have questioned him. After all, the Flyers were playing the back end of consecutive games, and starter Ray Emery already had started 12 of the club's first 13 games. But with the Flyers facing another four-day break in their schedule and Emery looking sharp the night before in Buffalo, Stevens decided on Emery. The 27-year-old netminder responded with another strong game, calmly turning aside 30 shots in 65 minutes and three more in a shootout, as the Flyers extended their winning streak to four games with a 2-1 win in front of a sellout crowd ..."
Flyers win shoot-out with Blues
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November 8
Philadelphia Inquirer
 
"The Flyers' injury list grew Saturday night.So did their winning streak.Winger Mika Pyorala scored the decisive goal in a shoot-out as the Flyers outlasted the St. Louis Blues, 2-1, in a physical game in front of a sellout crowd at the Wachovia Center.Playing in his first NHL season, Pyorala, 28, has yet to score an official goal.That didn't make Saturday night's score any less gratifying."I can count on one hand how many times," Pyorala said when asked about his shoot-out experience in Europe. "But I can't tell you how relieved I am. It wasn't a monkey on my back anymore, it was a gorilla. It started bothering me a little bit and I was thinking about it, but it's great to get that out of ..."
Misplay is the spoiler in Eric Brewer's improvement
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November 7
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 
"Defenseman Eric Brewer has been back in the Blues' lineup for only three games and already he's become a target for some fans. Brewer's handling of a puck that was teetering on the goal line resulted in Calgary's first goal Thursday night, and the Flames went on to win 2-1 over the Blues in overtime. After a shot by Jarome Iginla trickled past Blues goalie Chris Mason, Mason was gloving the puck away from the line when Brewer inadvertently knocked it in. "I didn't see it," Brewer said. "I saw the puck go through (Mason's) pads ... when 'Mase' kind of leaned back, I didn't actually see it. I just took a mad swipe at it, but I didn't know where it was, to be honest with you. But I'm trying ..."
Kipper anchors Flames' triumph
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November 6
Calgary Herald
 
"Lickety-split, Miikka Kiprusoff went from the sick bay to the winner's circle. From feverish . . . to just plain hot. Wednesday in Dallas, he was turning down his start. Thursday in St. Louis, he was shutting down the Blues. With a sensational evening's work, the Calgary Flames' netminder lifted his squad to 2-1 overtime success in National Hockey League action at the Scottrade Center. Jarome Iginla scored first (3:24 into the contest) and Dion Phaneuf scored last (2:50 into overtime), but the story was Kiprusoff. "Oh, I'm all right," croaked the Finn. "Just had a little cold there. It's gone now. I feel good again." Obviously. The day before, the goalkeeper had been too sick to ..."
Trust-win game for backup
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November 6
Calgary Sun
 
"Miikka Kiprusoff was back between the pipes last night. But a game like the one Curtis McElhinney had in Dallas Wednesday stopping 38 shots in a 3-2 OT win is exactly what the Flames brass and fans needed to see. Confidence in him -- and his own confidence on the ice -- had been sagging. "He responded to the challenge," head coach Brent Sutter said a day after the backup made an unexpected start when Kiprusoff came down with a bug in the morning. "I challenged him as a coach. I wanted his level of play up where it needs to be, and yet the team's level of play where it needs to be playing in front of him.""
Rest easy! Kipper's back
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November 6
Calgary Sun
 
"Making his first appearance since undergoing an emergency appendectomy late last month, St. Louis Blues centre T.J. Oshie was determined to make an impact. Starting in goal one night after he was too sick to even sit on the bench as a backup, Flames netminder Miikka Kiprusoff was equally set on keeping the sophomore from making a difference. Kiprusoff got the best of that battle, and Dion Phaneuf got a piece of the young Blues star, banking his overtime winner in off Oshie to give the Flames a 2-1 win. "He was great," Flames captain Jarome Iginla, who opened the scoring just a few minutes into the game, said of Kiprusoff's performance. "We didn't know (if he'd play). Yesterday, he had the ..."
Darryl Sydor signing pays off for St. Louis Blues
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November 6
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 
"If the Blues had known that defenseman Eric Brewer would be back in the lineup before November, it's questionable whether they would have signed veteran Darryl Sydor. But even with Brewer back sooner than expected, the addition of Sydor has been a blessing, factoring in both his mentoring of the Blues' young defensemen and the ankle injury suffered by Barret Jackman. "Everything happens for a reason," Sydor said. "I'm just thankful to be able to get that opportunity. I just want to be steady." Sydor was a plus 4 in 12 games before Thursday night's meeting with Calgary. With Jackman missing his 10th game, Sydor has played more NHL games in his career (1,256) than the five other defensemen ..."
St. Louis Blues net goal, but still fall
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November 6
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 
"The Blues haven't been beating their opponents lately, but Thursday night they at least managed to end a bad trend. Entering Thursday night without a goal in their last two games, the Blues went into the third period against the Calgary Flames without lighting the lamp. Then finally, Blues rookie Lars Eller, who was making his NHL debut, ended two long droughts when he scored a power-play goal midway through the third period. Eller's goal ended the Blues' scoreless spell at 168 minutes, 7 seconds and also snapped an 0 for 26 power-play drought. But while the tension lifted for a brief moment, the Blues learned that the hard times were hardly over. In overtime, Calgary's Dion Phaneuf ..."
Lars Eller gets the call to spark offense
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November 5
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 
"With Andy McDonald still feeling the effects of Saturday's collision with the boards, the Blues were in an emergency situation with 11 healthy forwards Wednesday and needed to make a call-up for tonight's game against Calgary. In a bit of a surprise move, the club promoted highly regarded prospect Lars Eller, who is playing his first season in North America and has suited up in only 11 games in Peoria. The Blues say that Eller, who was the 13th overall pick in the 2007 NHL draft, is ready and they expect him to make his debut tonight. It's been a bumpy road to the NHL for Eller, who first suffered a wrist injury, then a shoulder injury and this preseason battled a case of mononucleosis. ..."
St. Louis Blues' Andy McDonald improves, gets back on ice
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November 4
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 
"Andy McDonald skated Tuesday, showing some progress from Saturday's scary crash on the ice, but the Blues still aren't sure whether the veteran center can play Thursday against Calgary. McDonald was injured in the third period of Saturday's 4-0 loss to Florida when he lost his balance and slid hard into the boards, absorbing most of the collision with his face and neck. "He skated this morning, and that was encouraging," Blues coach Andy Murray said. "Today was the first time Andy was back on the ice. He took therapy for a couple of days and got back out there today." McDonald is listed as day to day. Although the Blues aren't sure if McDonald will return by Thursday, forward T.J. Oshie ..."
Blues look to reignite fire from last season
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November 3
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 
"Although his team was jockeying for its own respect at the time, Columbus coach Ken Hitchcock was unabashed when describing what impressed him most about the Blues last season. "They're relentless," Hitchcock said. "They just keep coming after you, coming after you. They just keep playing and playing, and if you don't have the stomach for the fight, they just break you right down." That was in March, as the Blues were in the process of posting the NHL's best record in the second half of the season and completing their bid for a playoff spot. Eight months later, it's doubtful that Hitchcock or any other coach would have that same evaluation of the Blues. They are 5-6-1 overall and 1-5 at ..."
McDonald says he's OK after hitting boards
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November 2
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 
"Andy McDonald was at Scottrade Center briefly Sunday morning but left as the Blues took the ice for practice. Nonetheless, McDonald said he was not seriously injured in his crash into the boards Saturday against Florida. McDonald lost his balance while racing with a Florida defenseman and flew unimpeded into the boards at Scottrade. At the last second, he lifted his head and absorbed most of the impact with his face and neck. Had he hit the wall with his head down, he might have suffered a serious spinal injury. McDonald's status for later in the week will be evaluated each day. But his "upper body injury" recovery will have more to do with stiffness than anything else."
Blues struggle while Johnson and Pietrangelo shine
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November 2
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 
"These are self-examining, soul-searching times for the St. Louis Blues. A strong finish in 2008-09 and a grand beginning to the present campaign have given way to a 10-game stutter step. Since going to Sweden and sweeping two games against a Stanley Cup finalist from last season - the Detroit Red Wings - a sour Note is 3-6-1 overall and 1-5 in its own building. To make matters worse, the Blues have gone two games in succession without scoring, six straight periods without seeing a red light. With three more off days before the schedule resumes against Calgary at Scottrade Center on Thursday, there will be extensive appraisal of these figures, in the media and in the team's practices. MORE ..."
Oshie remains sidelined after surgery
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November 1
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 
"With four days off before the Blues play again, forward T.J. Oshie is expected to return to the lineup Thursday when the club faces Calgary at Scottrade Center. Oshie had surgery to remove his appendix following the Blues' 3-1 victory over Minnesota Oct. 23. He played 17 minutes, 33 seconds in the game, after which he complained of being nauseous. "I started feeling it the night before the game," Oshie said. "I didn't notice as much when I was on the ice. I didn't think it affected my play. Going into the hospital, the doctors told me it's probably not appendicitis ... it might be something else. Then they came back with the results and told me I was going into surgery.""
Panthers' Vokoun blanks Blues
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November 1
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 
"As it turns out, Alex Pietrangelo's goal in the third period of the Blues' loss to Dallas on Oct. 24 was memorable for more reasons than one. It was Pietrangelo's first goal in the NHL, and two home games later, it remains the team's last goal at Scottrade Center. The Blues were shut out for the second straight game Saturday, losing 4-0 to the Florida Panthers, and have now gone 123 minutes, 50 seconds without scoring at home. The team has scored only seven goals in six games at Scottrade Center this season, and one was an empty-netter. The Blues registered a season-high 34 shots against Florida, giving them 66 in their last two games, but again they were kept off the board. "Whatever it ..."
Panthers' Victor Oreskovich caps comeback bid with NHL debut
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November 1
Miami Herald
 
"Defenseman Keaton Ellerby and right wing Victor Oreskovich arrived in St. Louis from Rochester of the American Hockey League in time to join the Florida Panthers. Ellerby was called up just in case Bryan Allen couldn't play because of injury. Oreskovich, on the other hand, was recalled to replace Michal Repik in the lineup. It was the third game in four nights and the second in a back-to-back situation in their schedule for the Panthers and coach Pete DeBoer wanted at least one fresh body in the lineup. ``Have to go light, go to the go-to guys and Vic is bigger and stronger than Rep [Michal Repik],'' said DeBoer. ``He's a great story, getting his shot playing in his first NHL game. I ..."
Offensive surge boosts Florida Panthers to victory
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November 1
Miami Herald
 
"Tomas Vokoun was elated at finally winning his first game since a 4-3 victory over Chicago on opening night in Sweden. But he will always remain true as a friend in shutting out the St. Louis Blues 4-0 for his 32nd career shutout and beating his old Nashville netminding partner Chris Mason. ``I can't think of a better friend to have than Chris Mason,'' Vokoun said after stopping 34 shots to end his 0-7-1 slump. ``We were best of friends in Nashville and still are. We talk often . . . and I know our wives talk ever more often, trying to keep one another up to date with what is having with our families. ``He taught me a lot about battling and fighting to be better in goal. And he pushed me ..."
Panthers top Blues 4-0 for first consecutive wins this season
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November 1
Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel
 
"The three previous times the Panthers played on back-to-back nights this season, they looked like a tired team in the second game. And it showed in the results — three losses. Saturday was a different story, though. Riding the momentum of an emotional shootout win in Dallas the night before, the Panthers played a strong first period, seizing a two-goal lead on their way to a 4-0 win against the Blues at Scottrade Center. "We were a pretty fragile team going into this weekend," coach Pete DeBoer said. "This was exactly what we needed." With consecutive wins for the first time this season, they flew home Saturday night with renewed optimism and a more respectable record (4-7-1) that, ..."
Blues left shooting blanks
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October 30
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 
"Two areas that were advantages for the Blues last season have proved to be disadvantages in the early part of the 2009-10 season. The Blues built a home-ice advantage at Scottrade Center a year ago, finishing with a record of 23-13-5 in the regular season. They also reached a comfort level on the power play, closing out the season with the eighth-best unit in the NHL. But after 11 games this season, neither the friendly confines nor the extra attacker have been good for the Blues, who saw those trends continue in a 2-0 loss to Phoenix on Thursday. The Blues fell to 1-4 this season at Scottrade Center, where the club's 11-game sellout streak was snapped Thursday with a crowd of 18,087. They ..."
Brewer back in lineup a little early
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October 30
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 
"The progress of Eric Brewer's nerve issue has been so rapid since early September the Blues' defenseman has surprised even those inside the organization. "We were worried," Blues President John Davidson said. "You didn't know if it was going to be another three months, six months, career, whatever ... we just had no idea." The club hinted Monday that Brewer was close to returning, but even with that clue, it was a jolt Thursday when he was inserted into the lineup against Phoenix. After missing 64 regular-season games, he stepped onto the ice 1 minute 40 seconds into Thursday's game and was greeted by applause from the crowd. "I wasn't very nervous," Brewer said. "I've kind of gone over ..."
St. Louis Blues use hot start to finish off Carolina Hurricanes
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October 29
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 
"Six minutes into Wednesday's game at Carolina, the Blues appeared to be in for another physical battle reminiscent of Saturday's game with Dallas. Brad Winchester and Cam Janssen dropped the gloves with a couple of willing Hurricanes, and the tone was set. What ensued was something unexpected, particularly for those who have paid attention to the Blues' first periods this season. They scored three goals in the opening period, and despite being outshot 36-18 in the game, the Blues handled the Hurricanes 5-2 at RBC Center. "They outshot us for the game, and I think it's something that we have to look into, but in the end it's the goals you get, and in the end, it's the win," Blues forward ..."
Blues battling inconsistency, injuries
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October 28
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 
"When Blues coach Andy Murray listened to comments from Carolina coach Paul Maurice recently, he stopped and thought about the similarities in their teams' situations. The Hurricanes, like the Blues, had a terrific second half in 2008-09 to qualify for the playoffs. That raised expectations in Raleigh, N.C., and St. Louis this summer, but after sluggish starts to the 2009-10 season fan bases in both cities have begun revising those expectations. On Monday, Murray quoted Maurice as saying about the Hurricanes, "We're basically the same team as last year … it's the same guys. It was a battle for us last year, and it's going to be a battle for us this year." "It's the same thing for our guys," ..."
Blues' King goes down swinging
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October 27
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 
"Dwayne "D.J." King is 6 feet 2, 228 pounds and chiseled from Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan rock. If you talk to hockey coaches and scouts, King is one of the league's most intimidating players. According to a website that purports to keep track of such things, King has had a highly successful 27 fights in his NHL career, losing a couple of bouts with Derek "The Boogeyman" Boogard. And let's face it, when you challenge the 6-8, 258-pound Boogard, it's kind of like messin' with Sasquatch. Even with his imposing presence and intimidating reputation, it is also safe to say King has been among the least-feared tough guys in the NHL over the last two seasons. How's that, you might say? Simple. He's ..."
Blues lose D.J. King to injury
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October 26
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 
"After Blues enforcer D.J. King connected on a blow to the head of Dallas' Krys Barch, ending a one-sided fight Saturday night, King headed quickly to the locker room. "It was a great moment to see him out there doing what he does best ... then I saw the look on his face," fellow Blues enforcer Cam Janssen said. "We looked at each other and then I looked at his hand. It was the worst feeling in world, knowing something was wrong." Several sources have indicated that King has a broken hand and will miss significant time, but the Blues made no announcement Sunday regarding his injury status. Following Saturday's 4-1 loss to the Stars, the Blues said only that King had an upper-body injury. So ..."
Surgery for Oshie
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October 25
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 
"Blues forward T.J. Oshie will miss approximately seven to 10 days after undergoing an appendectomy Saturday morning. Oshie felt nauseous following Friday's 3-1 win over Minnesota, in which he played 17 minutes, 33 seconds. He was taken to Barnes Jewish Hospital, where after a scan, doctors decided on the operation. "I'm just glad he was able to get through the game," Blues President John Davidson said. "It's unfortunate it has to be this time of the year. You always like to see that stuff in the offseason, if you see it. But it's just the way it is." Blues goaltender Chris Mason underwent an emergency appendectomy last October. He was out for about two weeks, missing four games. The Blues ..."
Blues physical tilt against visiting Stars
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October 25
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 
"The Blues admitted that they lost their focus Saturday night after Dallas' Steve Ott leveled defenseman Carlo Colaiacovo in the second period. Fighting a one-goal deficit at the time, the Blues spent more time fighting the Stars the remainder of the game and fell 4-1 at Scottrade Center. There were a total of 26 penalties and 86 penalty minutes in the game, including 20 penalties and 62 penalty minutes that came after Ott's controversial hit on Colaiacovo. "We had energy, we had some legs and we were working," Blues coach Andy Murray said. "We lost our focus in the second period ... didn't stick with our game. The Blues' record dropped to 4-4-1 overall, as they fell back to .500 for the ..."
Stars top Blues
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October 25
Dallas Morning News
 
"The Stars wouldn't have told you this a month ago, but this really was a challenging start to the season. Seven of the first 11 games on the road. Seven games in 11 days in their current stretch.It would have been easy to come up with excuses, like a new system, some new kids in the lineup, or a couple of key injuries.But Dallas came up with a 4-1 statement win over St. Louis on Saturday, and enters its first three-day break of the season with a 5-2-4 record and a franchise-best 4-0-3 start on the road."We're not ordering the championship rings or anything, but yeah, this is what we were hoping to see," said Brad Richards, who had two assists Saturday and has four points since returning ..."
T.J. Oshie undergoes emergency appendectomy
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October 24
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 
"Blues forward T.J. Oshie had an emergency apendectomy this morning and will be out of the lineup indefinitely, a source has told the Post-Dispatch. Oshie went to the hospital Friday night, following the Blues' 3-1 victory over Minnesota at Scottrade Center. He played 17 minutes, 33 seconds in the game."
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