Blues Face Off Against Oilers Amid Roster Challenges

EDMONTON, AB – The St. Louis Blues will aim to bounce back from a recent defeat when they square off against the Edmonton Oilers at Rogers Place on Wednesday night. After their franchise-record 12-game winning streak ended with a 3-1 loss to the Winnipeg Jets, the Blues are looking to reclaim momentum and secure a playoff spot in the final stretch of the regular season.

The puck drops at 9 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on TNT, truTV, Max, and 101 ESPN.

St. Louis (43-29-7) finds itself in a crucial phase, needing a win against the Oilers (44-28-5) and a regulation loss by the Calgary Flames to solidify their playoff prospects. Blues Head Coach Jim Montgomery is expected to make adjustments to his forward lines, with Jordan Kyrou moving to the top line alongside Pavel Buchnevich and Robert Thomas, and Jimmy Snuggerud shifting to the second line with Jake Neighbours and Brayden Schenn.

“We haven’t liked our offense at 5-on-5 the last couple of games. We’re trying to create more possession and a little more sustainability with our offense,” said Montgomery, acknowledging recent struggles.

In a potential roster shakeup, forward Dalibor Dvorsky might make his debut, skating with Oskar Sundqvist and Zack Bolduc in the morning skate. Skipping the lineup is Mathieu Joseph, while Jordan Binnington is confirmed as the starting goalie for the Blues.

On the other side, the Oilers face their own challenges as Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is doubtful to play due to illness. The team has already been playing without several stars, including Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, which has prompted the emergency recall of Noah Philp from the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors.

“It’s very challenging, but a lot of credit to the guys. I think they’ve been playing extremely hard,” remarked Oilers Head Coach Kris Knoblauch. “We certainly had enough scoring chances to have more than two goals against Anaheim, but we need to improve our execution.”

The Oilers are also looking to clinch a playoff spot, currently holding a six-point lead over Calgary, similar to the Blues. They might have to rely once again on an understaffed lineup to get through this game.

“We’ve got to continue to play hard each night to give us any opportunity to win, especially as we approach the playoffs,” Knoblauch added.

With both teams desperate for victory, fans can expect an intense match-up as the Blues aim to make a statement after their last defeat, while the Oilers look to leverage their home-ice advantage and overcome their roster woes.

Projected lineups for both teams are now finalized:

For the Blues: Pavel Buchnevich – Robert Thomas – Jordan Kyrou; Jake Neighbours – Brayden Schenn – Jimmy Snuggerud; Dalibor Dvorsky – Oskar Sundqvist – Zack Bolduc; Alexey Toropchenko – Radek Faksa – Nathan Walker. Defense pairs include Cam Fowler – Nick Leddy; Philip Broberg – Justin Faulk; and Ryan Suter – Tyler Tucker. Jordan Binnington will be in net.

For the Oilers: Zach Hyman – Adam Henrique – Corey Perry; Vasily Podkolzin – Noah Philp – Viktor Arvidsson; Jeff Skinner – Mattias Janmark – Connor Brown; Kasperi Kapanen – Max Jones. The defense will have Darnell Nurse – Troy Stecher; Brett Kulak – Evan Bouchard; and Troy Stecher – Ty Emberson with Calvin Pickard starting in goal.