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| 5:00 PM PT6:00 PM MT7:00 PM CT8:00 PM ET1:00 GMT9:00 6:00 PM MST8:00 PM EST5:00 UAE (+1)20:00 ETNaN:� BRT, January 16, 2023 Enterprise Center, St. Louis, Missouri Attendance: 18,096 |
Blues seek more urgency in home games as Senators visit
Ottawa Senators at St. Louis Blues
- The Senators got a goal and two assists apiece from Tim Stutzle and Josh Norris and beat St. Louis, 4-1, last March 8 after the Blues won six of the previous seven meetings. St. Louis has picked up points in six of the last eight home games in the series (3-2-3).
- The Senators are coming off a 7-0 setback at Colorado on Saturday that was their most lopsided loss since a 9-2 defeat at Buffalo on Nov. 3, 2018. They've allowed 21 goals in the last four games, their worst stretch since Nov. 22-27, 2021 (also 21 allowed).
- Alex DeBrincat has picked up a point in 11 of his last 13 road games (five goals, 10 assists). He has one goal and one assist in his last 11 games against the Blues after collecting six goals and four assists in his first six games against them.
- The Blues have lost three of their last four at home, including a 4-2 setback against Tampa Bay on Saturday. They're 2-6-1 against the Atlantic Division, including an 0-2-1 record at home, after going 9-4-3 last season.
- Pavel Buchnevich has recorded at least one point in 15 of his last 18 games, totaling nine goals and 12 assists. He tied his career high with three assists in the Blues' 5-2 win at Ottawa on Feb. 15, 2022.
- Thomas Greiss has a league-leading .940 save percentage since Dec. 16 among goaltenders who've made at least four starts in that span. He's 4-2-0 with a 1.95 goals-against average and .939 save percentage in his last six appearances against Ottawa.
Issues at home continue to plague the St. Louis Blues.
Meanwhile, some offensive inconsistency and defensive struggles have highlighted the Ottawa Senators' current rut.
The Blues will try to avoid a third consecutive loss -- overall and at home -- when they face the Senators on Monday night.
A big reason St. Louis is currently on the outside looking in at the Western Conference playoff picture is its 8-10-2 home record. Entering play Sunday, the Blues were tied for the third-fewest home victories in the NHL.
They've dropped three of the last four there, including the last two -- 4-1 to Calgary on Thursday and 4-2 versus Tampa Bay on Saturday.
"Our home record's not been good. It hasn't been good all season," St. Louis forward Robert Thomas told reporters.
"We need to be more urgent and win at home."
The Blues, who continue to play with key contributors Vladimir Tarasenko (hand) and Ryan O'Reilly (foot) on injured reserve, rank 21st in the NHL in averaging 3.09 goals per contest. However, they could be in store for an offensive breakout Monday.
Ottawa has been outscored 21-9 during its current 1-3-0 stretch and was routed 7-0 at Colorado on Saturday. It marked the second time in three games that the Senators were shut out.
"It's embarrassing," said Ottawa's Brady Tkachuk, who has totaled four of his team-leading 41 points in the last seven contests. "I'm kind of at a loss for words right now. I wouldn't even say we were looking for answers.
"That can never happen."
Like St. Louis, Ottawa has also struggled to score, averaging 2.95 goals overall on the season (25th in the league). However, the team's defensive issues might be more of a concern at the moment. Losing defenseman Artem Zub to a lower-body injury also does not help the Senators' cause.
Anton Forsberg yielded all seven goals on 33 shots faced against the Avalanche. He's given up 13 goals over his last three starts. Meanwhile, teammate Cam Talbot has a 4.47 goals-against average in losing his past three starts.
St. Louis' Jordan Binnington made 26 saves against the Lightning and has a 3.99 goals-against average while splitting his last six starts. Backup Thomas Greiss has split his last four starts, but he owns a 2.26 goals-against average during that stretch and recorded a 35-save shutout at Minnesota on Jan. 8.
The Blues' Pavel Buchnevich scored his 15th goal of the season on Saturday. He's posted six of those goals and nine assists during his last 12 home contests. Thomas assisted on that goal and has four points in the last four at home for St. Louis.
Ottawa's Tim Stutzle recorded eight goals and four assists during a seven-game point streak from Dec. 22-Jan. 7. However, he's gone without a point in the three games since that run.
The Blues have won six of the last eight meetings with Ottawa. The Senators, though, got a goal apiece from Stutzle and Tkachuk during their 4-1 victory on March 8, 2022, in the most recent matchup at St. Louis.
--Field Level Media
Updated January 15, 2023
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