Blues Return to Face Ducks as Faksa Makes Comeback

The St. Louis Blues are set to host the Anaheim Ducks at Enterprise Center on Thursday night, with Radek Faksa making his return to the lineup after recovering from a skate blade injury. The game, scheduled for 7 p.m. CT, will be broadcast on FanDuel Sports Network and 101 ESPN.

Faksa, who last played on Dec. 20 in a 2-1 overtime loss to the Florida Panthers, has been sidelined for nearly a month after an MRI revealed the skate blade had cut into his muscle. “I went for an MRI and they found out the skate cut the muscle as well, so I had to take another break and it was tough,” Faksa said. “I’ve been almost a month out, so it will take me at least a few shifts to get back in… obviously will be tough but I’ve been there before so I know what to expect.”

Joel Hofer is expected to start in goal for the Blues. Hofer has been a standout performer, going 5-0-1 in his last six starts before a 6-4 loss to Columbus on Saturday. Head Coach Jim Montgomery praised the team’s goaltending but emphasized the need for improved defense. “Our goaltending since I’ve been here I think has been really good. The last couple of games we’ve given up more goals but we’ve been giving up a lot more slot chances, a lot more east-west chances,” Montgomery said. “That’s up to the team to be better so that they can be more confident in their crease.”

The game will also mark significant milestones for two players. Brandon Saad will skate in his 900th career game, while Cam Fowler will be honored with a pre-game ceremony for reaching the 1,000-game milestone on Dec. 31 at the Winter Classic. “A lot of milestones here but most importantly for our group, we need to assert ourselves here,” Montgomery added. “We need to start off on the right foot. The Blues are going to be ready to rock tonight – my ask for our fans is be ready to rock from the puck drop.”

The Blues’ lineup will feature Saad, Robert Thomas, and Pavel Buchnevich on the top forward line, with Hofer in goal. The defense will be anchored by Cam Fowler and Colton Parayko, with Philip Broberg and Justin Faulk rounding out the top pairs.