The St. Louis Blues close out their homestand and a back-to-back set as they host the New York Rangers at Enterprise Center (7 p.m., FanDuel Sports Network, 101 ESPN).
The Blues are 2-1-0 thus far on the four-game home stretch, including a 1-0 win over the Winnipeg Jets on Wednesday night. The team held an optional skate Thursday morning, but Head Coach Jim Montgomery did share a few updates about tonight's lineup.
Here's what we know:
It's Jordan Binnington's net tonight.
Binnington will get the nod against the Rangers after three straight starts for Joel Hofer.
"The team needed a reset, first of all, and he's been the negative benefitter of our poor play," Montgomery said. "When we've really played poorly, it's really been in front of Binner... I think [the rest has] given him the opportunity to work and prepare and get back the right mindset that makes him an elite goaltender in this league."
Matt Luff draws in for Robby Fabbri.
After two "excellent" games with the Blues to start his return, Montgomery said Fabbri had "a little less juice in his legs" these last two.
"It's a lot," the coach said. "He wasn't in a training camp, he's not in the same hockey shape as everybody else is. So it's just an opportunity, and Luff's been really good for us. We're playing a bigger, heavier team tonight on a back-to-back, a team that's fresh, so just get a fresh body in. It really wasn't a negative of anything of [Fabbri's] play and he'll be back in the lineup soon."
Tyler Tucker will go in for Matthew Kessel.
Montgomery said Tucker was sore on Wednesday, leading to Kessel getting the call on defense. With a back-to-back and both defensemen playing well, Tucker will now re-enter the lineup against the Rangers.
Full lines and defense pairings will be updated at warmups.
