Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end. The St. Louis Blues‘ three-game winning streak to open the 2022-23 season was snapped on Monday when they were shut out 4-0 by the Winnipeg Jets. The offense was shorthanded, missing both Pavel Buchnevich and Brandon Saad, while Thomas Greiss made his first start wearing the blue note, stopping 39 of 42 shots (the final goal was an empty-netter). His 39 saves set a franchise record for goalies playing their first game with the Blues.
The Blues (3-1-0) still had a successful road trip, going 2-1-0 and grabbing four of six possible points. They’re at home tonight to take on the Edmonton Oilers (3-3-0) for the second time this season; the Blues shut out the Oilers 2-0 on Oct. 22.
Related: St. Louis Blues’ Top 10 Prospects for 2022-23
St. Louis Blues Projected Lineup
Forwards
| Ivan Barbashev | Ryan O’Reilly | Jordan Kyrou |
| Brayden Schenn | Robert Thomas | Vladimir Tarasenko |
| Jake Neighbours | Logan Brown | Tyler Pitlick |
| Alexey Tropchenko | Noel Acciari | Nathan Walker |
Defense
| Nick Leddy | Colton Parayko |
| Torey Krug | Justin Faulk |
| Niko Mikkola | Robert Bortuzzo |
Goalies
| Jordan Binnington | Thomas Greiss |
Roster Notes
Buchnevich was placed on injured reserve (IR) on Oct. 25, retroactive to Oct. 15. Taking his spot on the roster is veteran forward Tyler Pitlick, who was signed to a one-year, $750,000 deal the same day. Pitlick joined the Blues for camp and the preseason, scoring 4 points (4 assists) in three games. Losing Buchnevich is a tough early-season blow for St. Louis, and the extent of his lower-body injury is unknown. Pitlick will provide the Blues with offensive depth for the time being.
Edmonton Oilers Projected Lineup
Lineup Note: Edmonton will go with 11 forwards and 7 defensemen tonight.
Forwards
| Ryan Nugent-Hopkins | Connor McDavid | Zach Hyman |
| Evander Kane | Leon Draisaitl | Kailer Yamamoto |
| Warren Foegele | Ryan McLeod | Jesse Puljujarvi |
| Devin Shore | Derek Ryan |
Defense
| Darnell Nurse | Cody Ceci |
| Brett Kulak | Tyson Barrie |
| Markus Niemalainen | Evan Bouchard |
| Ryan Murray |
Goalies
| Stuart Skinner | Jack Campbell |
Quick Look at the Oilers
After defeating the Pittsburgh Penguins on Oct. 24, the Oilers are back to .500 with a 3-3-0 record. In doing so, they handed the Penguins their first regulation loss of the season. Despite the victory, superstar Connor McDavid was held off of the scoresheet for the second straight game, while Leon Draisaitl, their other superstar, scored a goal and two assists and now leads the team with 11 points.
When the Blues and Oilers met earlier this season, McDavid and Draisaitl had no points and were held to five shots between them. It’s going to be very difficult for the Blues’ defense to stymie these two again. The defense kept them hemmed in, and their playmaking chances were low, while Jordan Binnington handled everything else that got through.
Players to Watch
St. Louis Blues: Jordan Binnington
Binnington is off to a tremendous start, with a 3-0-0 record and stopping 78 of 83 shots – good for a .940 save percentage (SV%) and a goals-against average (GAA) of 1.65. As mentioned, he recorded his first shutout of the season, stopping all 23 shots against the Oilers in his last start. The Blues have lacked a bit of firepower upfront without Buchnevich in their last two games and Saad in their last game. Until they’re both ready to go, the Blues will need a little bit extra from Binnington to keep the Oilers at bay while they try to scratch out another victory.
Related: Blues Binnington Gamble Paying Off Early
Edmonton Oilers: Connor McDavid
McDavid should be watched every game, but the fact that he is scoreless in two straight games after his hot start means he’s going to be playing with some extra motivation in this matchup. In his last two games, he’s been on the ice for 46 shifts and has only registered four shots. McDavid won’t be held to such a low number often, and I expect him to be aggressive tonight and try to get his game going.
Where You Can Catch the Game
Edmonton Oilers @ St. Louis Blues – 7:00 PM CST
Related: Blues October Prospects Report: Alexandrov, Bolduc, & Buchinger
Tonight’s game will be broadcast on Bally Sports Midwest and Bally Sports+. The radio call can be heard on 101 ESPN and the 101 ESPN app.
