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Preview: Maple Leafs at Blues
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 [November 04, 2017]
The St. Louis Blues are left
with questions after seeing a four-game winning streak and
seven-game point stretch (6-0-1) go by the boards with their first
loss at Scottrade Center - in shutout fashion, no less. Coach Mike
Yeo hopes the Blues can provide the answers on Saturday when they
host a high-octane Toronto Maple Leafs squad that is wrapping up a
four-game road trip.
"I think we can be more direct, whether it's off the rush, whether
it's in the offensive zone. You've got to be able to create offense
in other ways," Yeo told reporters on Friday, one day after St.
Louis came up empty on 33 shots in its 2-0 setback to Philadelphia.
Toronto's second-ranked offense hasn't had that issue by averaging
3.79 goals per game, but the Maple Leafs' fortunes have taken a
tumble as they have answered winning six of their first seven
contests with losing five of their last seven. Auston Matthews
increased his point total to 10 (five goals, five assists) in his
last eight games after converting one of his two penalty shot
attempts and adding an assist in Thursday's 5-3 setback to Los
Angeles, but the reigning Calder Trophy recipient knows just what
the Blues bring to the table. "(St. Louis is) a big, heavy team that
has some guys with some offensive skill that can make you pay,"
Matthews told the Toronto Star. "... If you turn the puck over in
the neutral zone, they're coming back at you with a two-man rush."
TV: 7 p.m. ET, CBC (Toronto), FSN Midwest (St. Louis)
ABOUT THE MAPLE LEAFS (8-6-0): Morgan Rielly continued his scoring
output with a goal in the waning moments of the second period on
Thursday, increasing his point total to eight (two goals, six
assists) in his last nine games overall while his season point total
of 11 (two goals, nine assists) leads all Toronto defensemen. The
23-year-old Rielly, who also netted a goal in the Maple Leafs' 2-1
overtime loss to the Blues on Feb. 9, admitted the team's recent
struggles have more to do with effort than errors in the game plan.
"The game plan was working when we executed it," Rielly said of the
team's performance after facing a five-goal deficit on Thursday. "We
started working down low and moving our feet."
[to top of second column] |
ABOUT THE BLUES (10-3-1): Jaden Schwartz, who leads the team in
goals (eight) and points (17), enjoyed a fast start to the season
and earned the NHL's Third Star of the Month for October in the
process. The 25-year-old looks to continue his offensive touch on
Saturday versus Toronto, against which he has recorded six points
(two goals, four assists) in six career encounters. Fellow forward
Vladimir Tarasenko scored twice versus the Maple Leafs during his
39-goal performance last season and has gashed the club for five
tallies and six points in seven career meetings.
OVERTIME
1. St. Louis captain Alex Pietrangelo (four goals, nine assists) is
tied with Philadelphia's Shayne Gostisbehere for the league lead in
points (13) among NHL defensemen through Thursday.
2. Toronto RW Connor Brown has scored in back-to-back games and has
eight points (five goals, three assists) in his last 12 contests.
3. Blues G Jake Allen turned aside 57 of the 59 shots he faced to
win both encounters last season versus the Maple Leafs.
PREDICTION: Maple Leafs 4, Blues 2
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