St. Louis (StL)

Latest News:

05.16.12

Vladimir Tarasenko is soon expected to make an announcement on whether he will play in the NHL next season, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Impact:
Tarasenko, who is coming off a highly successful season and postseason in the KHL, was expected to make an announcement following his participation in the World Championships for Russia, but was surprisingly left off the team. That means his decision could come sooner. Blues general manager Doug Amrstrong said the team's intention is to bring Tarasenko to North America to play in the NHL, not the American Hockey League.

05.09.12

Chris Stewart's conditioning came into question during this past season and he pledged work this offseason with a strength and conditioning coach, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Impact:
"I think this is probably the biggest summer of my career," said Stewart, who could become a restricted free agent July 1. Stewart had 15 goals and 30 points in 79 games, but much more was expected. He was a healthy scratch twice during the playoffs and was often not part of the top-six during the regular season.

05.09.12

Alex Pietrangelo confirmed that he suffered a sprained knee during Game 1 of the Blues' playoff series against the Kings, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Impact:
Pietrangelo wasn't 100 percent after returning to the series, which the Blues' lost, 4-0. He was on the ice for six of the Kings' seven goals in the final two games.

05.08.12

Jaroslav Halak (ankle) will need a couple more weeks to heal, Lou Korac of NHL.com reports.

Impact:
The Kings finished off a clean sweep of the Blues on Sunday, and Halak said it was a "bad feeling" not being able to play in the series. The 26-year-old went 26-12-7 with a 1.97 GAA this year, and his current high ankle sprain isn't expected to be an issue come the start of the 2012-13 season.

05.05.12

Alex Pietrangelo (lower body) played a team-high 26:34 in his return to game action Thursday night in the Blues' loss to the Kings in Game 3 of their conference semifinal playoff series.

Impact:
Pietrangelo assisted on one of the Blues' two goals and played well for St. Louis.

05.03.12

Chris Stewart scored both of the Blues' goals in their Game 3 loss to the Kings. They were his first two goals (and points) of the playoffs.

Impact:
He still skated under 13 minutes, but at least Stewart got engaged on the offensive end in this one. Usually a notorious hitter, he's somehow managed just seven hits in six playoff games to this point, including just one on Thursday. The Blues will just have to be happy with him finding his offensive touch.

05.03.12

Brian Elliott was lit into for four goals on just 22 shots Thursday as the Blues fell in Game 3 against Los Angeles.

Impact:
Now down 3-0 in the series, the Blues' magical season -- led by Elliott's stunning emergence as a star in goal -- is teetering on the brink of elimination. A lot of that can be laid on Elliott, unfortunately, as he's picked a bad time to hit the skids, surrendering nine goals in the last two games. To put that in perspective, Elliott hadn't even surrendered nine goals in any three-game stretch this year.

05.03.12

Coach Ken Hitchcock said that Alex Pietrangelo (lower body) will play in Thursday's game against the Kings, the Blues' official site reports.

Impact:
Great news for the No. 2 seeded Blues, who are down to the No. 8 seeded Kings in their current playoff series. Pietrangelo was the team's top scoring blueliner during the regular season, with 51 points in 81 games.

05.03.12

Jason Arnott sat out Wednesday's practice due to a lower-body injury, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Impact:
St. Louis head coach Ken Hitchcock said Arnott is day-to-day with the injury. Vladimir Sobotka took his place at center on the third line, while Chris Stewart took his spot on the practice roster.

05.03.12

Alex Pietrangelo (lower body) participated in all of Wednesday's practice and will be allowed to make the call as to whether he plays Thursday, the St. Louis Post- Dispatch reports.

Impact:
Pietrangelo, who participated in a morning skate prior to Monday's game but did not play, was more involved in Wednesday's practice. "He feels OK," Blues head coach Ken Hitchcock said. "If he feels OK tomorrow, and wants to give it a go, we'll let him go. But it's nice to see him out there."

05.02.12

Alex Pietrangelo (lower body) traveled with the Blues to Los Angeles, but his status for Thursday's Game 3 is uncertain, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Impact:
The Blues are down 2-0 and are desperate to turn the series around. An available Pietrangelo certainly would help, but the team was seriously outplayed by the Kings in Game 2. Regardless of who suits up Thursday, the Blues need to be better.

05.01.12

A report from ESPN.com indicates that Jaroslav Halak will miss the entire playoff series against the Kings, meaning Brian Elliott should be the starter the rest of the way.

Impact:
A few days ago, that might have been news the Blues could deal with. But not so much after Elliott surrendered four first-period goals Monday in a 5-2 loss. The Blues are down 2-0 heading to L.A. for Thursday's Game 3.

05.01.12

Blues head coach Ken Hitchcock said Jaroslav Halak (ankle) will not be able to play in their semi-final playoff series against the Kings, ESPN.com reports. "He won't play in the series," Hitchcock said.

Impact:
That's an ominous report coming after the Blues were torched by the Kings, 5-2, on Monday to take a 2-0 series lead. Brian Elliott should be the starter going forward.

05.01.12

Matt D'Agostini, who sat out Game 1, was on the roster for Game 2 of St. Louis' playoff series against Los Angeles.

Impact:
D'Agostini replaced Chris Stewart in the lineup and scored the Blues' second goal in their 5-2 loss to the Kings.

05.01.12

Alex Pietrangelo (lower body) did not play in St. Louis' loss to Los Angeles in Game 2 of their Western Conference semi-final playoff series.

Impact:
The injury had been reported as an upper-body one, but head coach Ken Hitchcock referred to it as "between the middle and the lower," so that's what we're going with for now. Pietrangelo practiced during the day and was not wearing a "no contact" jersey, suggesting we're not dealing with a concussion. It would seem that his return to the series is a distinct possibility.

04.30.12

Brian Elliott had a rough Game 2 against Los Angeles on Monday. He let in five goals on 21 shots in the loss, and was pulled briefly at the end of the game and replaced by Jake Allen.

Impact:
Elliott was great this season, and he had played well in the postseason, so this is likely a fluke.

04.30.12

Alex Pietrangelo (upper body) is a game-time decision for Monday's game against the Kings, Jeremy Rutherford of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Impact:
Pietrangelo is evidently feeling better and was on the ice Monday morning, but he's still no lock to play in Game 2 after being checked face-first into the boards Saturday.

04.29.12

Alex Pietrangelo, who was checked face-first into the boards in Saturday's game, did not practice Sunday, Associated Press reports. "He's day to day, upper body," Blues coach Ken Hitchcock said Sunday.

Impact:
While Hitchcock has not ruled Pietrangelo -- who was evaluated for a possible concussion Saturday -- out for Monday night's game against the Kings, he has cited Ian Cole as a potential replacement if Pietrangelo is unavailable.

04.29.12

Alex Pietrangelo did not return to Saturday's game after being run face first into the boards by Los Angeles' Dwight King in the second period, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Impact:
Pietrangelo attempted to stay in the game, but was eventually taken to the "quiet room" during the intermission and did not return. The Blues will have him evaluated Sunday, and he is questionable for Game 2 of the playoff series Monday in St. Louis.

04.28.12

David Perron logged an assist and four penalty minutes Saturday as the Blues lost the series opener to the Kings, 3-1. He had only one shot on goal on the night.

Impact:
You'd expect a guy who posted an 18.4 shooting percentage in the regular season to fire away in the playoffs. But that hasn't happened; after launching five times in the first-round opener against San Jose, he has just six shots in the ensuing five postseason games. Expect the coaching staff to get after him to fire at the net more often and see if good things happen.

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