Blues Make Lineup Changes Ahead of Game Against Capitals

ST. LOUIS, MO — The St. Louis Blues are preparing for their matchup against the Washington Capitals on Wednesday after breaking a seven-game losing streak with a 3-2 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Monday. Head Coach Jim Montgomery announced two lineup changes ahead of the game at Capital One Arena, set to begin at 6:30 p.m. CT.

Nathan Walker will return to the fourth line alongside Alexey Toropchenko and Nick Bjugstad, having sat out the previous game. Logan Mailloux will take over on defense in place of Matthew Kessel. Montgomery emphasized the importance of physical play against a team like the Capitals, who are struggling with a four-game winless streak.

“We think it’s important against a team like Washington you have some physicality,” Montgomery stated. “Both of those guys bring physicality, and we don’t want players sitting out too long. They’re big parts of our team this year and for the future.”

The Blues will look for consecutive wins, aiming to build on the momentum from their recent performance. Montgomery mentioned, “Our team game is building the right way. We’ve gotten significantly better defensively. Our first nine games were not good enough, but we’ve shored that area up.”

In their last encounter with the Capitals, the Blues demonstrated resilience by overcoming a 2-0 deficit to secure their win. Robert Thomas, a key forward for the team, reflected on the win, saying, “It felt good…to go down two and just keep on pushing, keep on playing, that’s what made us successful in the past.”

The projected Blues lineup for Wednesday includes forwards Pavel Buchnevich, Robert Thomas, Jimmy Snuggerud, Brayden Schenn, Pius Suter, Jordan Kyrou, Dylan Holloway, Dalibor Dvorsky, Oskar Sundqvist, Alexey Toropchenko, Nick Bjugstad, and Nathan Walker. On defense, Philip Broberg, Colton Parayko, Tyler Tucker, Justin Faulk, and Logan Mailloux will take the ice with Jordan Binnington expected to start as goalie.

As for the Capitals, they’ve been struggling, averaging just 1.3 goals per game while allowing three during their losing streak. The matchup promises to be a test for both teams as they look to turn their fortunes around.