Blues at Golden Knights preview
St. Louis seeks to get back on track; Vegas can win fourth straight
by Danny Webster / NHL.com Independent Correspondent
BLUES (26-10-6) at GOLDEN KNIGHTS (23-15-6)
4 p.m. ET; NHLN, ATTSN-RM, FS-MW, SN, NHL.TV
The Game
The Vegas Golden Knights will look tie their season high with a fourth consecutive win when they host the St. Louis Blues at T-Mobile Arena on Saturday.
The Golden Knights, coming off a 5-4 victory against the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday, last won four straight from Nov. 27 - Dec. 3.
Marc-Andre Fleury is expected to make his fourth consecutive start for Vegas, which is 3-0-0 during a season-long seven-game homestand.
The Blues have lost consecutive games after winning their previous eight; they allowed a season-high seven goals in a 7-3 loss at the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday.
Jordan Binnington is expected to start for St. Louis, which has won four straight against Vegas.
Players to watch
Blues forward David Perron has no points in his past two games after having 10 points (four goals, six assists) in his previous six games. The former Vegas forward has no points in four games against the Golden Knights.
Golden Knights forward Max Pacioretty has seven points (three goals, four assists) during a five-game point streak and 17 points (eight goals, nine assists) in 12 games.
They said it
"We have to take care of the puck better. It's an adjustment. I know this group. We're a better team than that, and we'll respond." -- Blues forward Ryan O'Reilly
"I don't think you have to say a lot. Our guys know how good St. Louis is, and we have to play our best game to beat them." -- Golden Knights coach Gerard Gallant
Blues projected lineup
Jaden Schwartz -- Ryan O'Reilly -- David Perron
Brayden Schenn -- Robert Thomas -- Tyler Bozak
Alexander Steen -- Oskar Sundqvist -- Ivan Barbashev
Mackenzie MacEachern -- Jacob de la Rose -- Zach Sanford
Justin Faulk -- Alex Pietrangelo
Jay Bouwmeester -- Colton Parayko
Vince Dunn -- Robert Bortuzzo
Jordan Binnington
Jake Allen
Scratched: Jordan Kyrou, Troy Brouwer, Jake Walman
Injured: Vladimir Tarasenko (shoulder), Sammy Blais (wrist), Carl Gunnarsson (upper body)
Golden Knights projected lineup
Alex Tuch -- William Karlsson -- Reilly Smith
Max Pacioretty -- Chandler Stephenson -- Mark Stone
William Carrier -- Paul Stastny -- Cody Glass
Jon Merrill -- Tomas Nosek -- Ryan Reaves
Brayden McNabb -- Nate Schmidt
Nick Holden -- Shea Theodore
Nicolas Hague -- Deryk Engelland
Marc-Andre Fleury
Malcolm Subban
Scratched: Nicolas Roy
Injured: Cody Eakin (upper body), Jonathan Marchessault (lower body)
Status report
Sundqvist, who was first-line left wing on Thursday, moved to the third line at practice. Schwartz took his place on the first line. … Marchessault, who did not play Thursday, is a game-time decision. … Reaves (illness) missed practice Friday but is expected to play. … Nosek is expected to be available after he did not play Thursday because of the birth of his child.
Stat pack
Schwartz has 12 points (four goals, eight assists) in his past eight games. … Stone has 17 points (five goals, 12 assists) in his past 12 games.