Preview: Devils at Blues
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[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.

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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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