Blues Adjust Lineup Ahead of Matchup with Senators

ST. LOUIS, Mo. — The St. Louis Blues will face the Ottawa Senators on Friday afternoon at 3 p.m. CST at the Enterprise Center, marking the beginning of a crucial three-game homestand.

Blues Head Coach Jim Montgomery confirmed that only one change will be made to the lineup, with defenseman Matthew Kessel replacing Tyler Tucker. Kessel will pair with Justin Faulk on defense. The starting goaltender will remain Jordan Binnington, who started in the previous game.

The complete projected lineup for the Blues includes forwards Pavel Buchnevich, Robert Thomas, and Jordan Kyrou, alongside Dylan Holloway, Dalibor Dvorsky, and Jake Neighbours. The third line features Brayden Schenn, Pius Suter, and Jimmy Snuggerud, while the fourth line includes Mathieu Joseph, Oskar Sundqvist, and Nathan Walker. On defense are Philip Broberg, Colton Parayko, Kessel, and Faulk, with Binnington in goal.

The Senators also enter the game with lineup changes as Brady Tkachuk returns from a thumb injury that sidelined him for 20 games. The Senators’ projected lines feature Tkachuk alongside Tim Stutzle and Drake Batherson. Other notable forwards include David Perron, Dylan Cozens, and Claude Giroux. On defense, they will have Jake Sanderson with Artem Zub, and goalie duties will be split between Linus Ullmark and Leevi Merilainen.

Neither team held a morning skate ahead of the game, but Montgomery indicated confidence in his lineup. The Blues are looking to build momentum in front of their home crowd and capitalize on Tkachuk’s absence in the Senators’ previous games.

“Having Kessel come into the lineup adds depth to our defense, and we’re excited to be back at home,” Montgomery stated.