Preview: Devils at Blues

[December 15, 2016]  The St. Louis Blues cannot get home soon enough after another ugly performance on the road that capped an unproductive four-game trek. The Blues have been a far different team at Scottrade Center, however, and will look to build on their stellar 12-1-3 record at home when they host the sliding New Jersey Devils on Thursday night.

St. Louis' only victory on the road trip was a 4-1 win over New Jersey, but it must bounce back after squandering a three-goal lead at Nashville on Tuesday night. "That's three games we've lost on the road where we've had the game taken from us," Blues coach Ken Hitchcock said after watching the Predators score six unanswered goals -- four in the third period. The Devils are wobbling during a rugged stretch in which they are playing nine of 11 away from home. New Jersey has been outscored 14-3 during its three-game losing streak.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, MSG Plus2 (New Jersey), FSN Midwest (St. Louis)

ABOUT THE DEVILS (12-10-6): Goaltender Cory Schneider did not have a goals-against average above 2.26 in each of his first three seasons with New Jersey, but it ballooned to 2.83 after he surrendered at least three goals for the eighth time in his last nine games. “He’s competitive, trying to make the saves he can," coach John Hynes said. "Like everything in our game right now, we all have to do a better job." Rookie Pavel Zacha could return Thursday after sitting out the past four games as a result of taking a puck to the face/mouth.

ABOUT THE BLUES (16-10-4): St. Louis has not lost in regulation at home since Oct. 25 and is 7-0-1 in the last eight at Scottrade Center, although four of the past six games have gone beyond regulation. Vladimir Tarasenko set up a pair of goals Tuesday to help the Blues bolt to a 3-0 lead and has one goal and six assists during a four-game point streak. Defenseman Brad Hunt has wasted no time making an impressive since his promotion from the minors last week, collecting a point in all three games and scoring on the power play Tuesday.

OVERTIME

1. Blues F Robby Fabbri scored twice in the 4-1 win at New Jersey last week.

2. The Devils recalled F Luke Gazdic from Albany of the American Hockey League and sent down D Yohann Auvitu.

3. The Blues have killed off 16 of their lst 17 short-handed situations.

PREDICTION: Blues 4, Devils 2

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