Preview: Blues vs. Islanders

Preview: Blues vs. Islanders

When: Thursday, Oct. 17 at 7 p.m. CT
Where: Enterprise Center in St. Louis
Watch: Bally Sports, 101 ESPN
Listen: 101 ESPN, Blues App
Tickets: Online at ticketmaster.com

QUICK HITS

BLUES The St. Louis Blues are coming off a tough 4-1 loss against the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday night and are looking to turn the page Thursday when they face the New York Islanders.

The Blues were held scoreless for the first two and a half periods Tuesday before newcomer Mathieu Joseph netted his first goal as a Blue to make it 3-1. However the goal was not enough to change the momentum as the Wild came out on top.

Following the loss, defenseman Justin Faulk said the mistakes are preventable and can be cleaned up quickly.

“Tonight for sure I think we kind of did it to ourselves,” Faulk said. “…All three goals that probably could have been cleaned up on our end and not put us in that situation. And that’s maybe a positive saying that, that those are the probably easier things to clean up. So hopefully we can regroup quickly.”

The Blues are looking for their first win on home ice this season as they enter the second contest of a four-game homestand.

ISLANDERS The New York Islanders are coming off their first win of the season on Monday after beating the Colorado Avalanche on the road. They are 1-1-1 entering Thursday’s matchup with the Blues.

Trailing by one early in the first, the Islanders went on to score the next four, including back-to-back tallies from center Brock Nelson. Colorado put one in the back of the net early in the third period before the Islanders capped off the game with two unanswered goals for a 6-2 final score.

The Islanders are beginning their first full season with head coach Patrick Roy, who took over in January. Their biggest offseason pickup was left winger Anthony Duclair. The 29-year-old has played for nine different franchises totaling 306 career points (148 goals, 158 assists).

The Islanders finished seventh in the Eastern Conference last season, clinching a playoff spot for the second year in a row. They lost in the first round to the Carolina Hurricanes in five games.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

BLUES Newcomer Philip Broberg is starting his Blues career off on the right note. Broberg currently has a four-game point streak, including a goal in the season opener at Seattle and an assist on Tuesday’s lone goal vs. Minnesota. If Broberg gets a point in Thursday’s game vs. the Islanders, he will be the first defenseman to start his Blues career with a five-game point streak.

ISLANDERS Center Brock Nelson is tied for the team lead in points (three) and goals (two) for the Islanders this season. In Monday night’s win over the Avalanche, Nelson tallied twice, including an unassisted shorthanded goal. In Nelson’s 82 games last season, he finished with the most goals on the team (34) and was second in points (69).

BLUE NOTES

  • Entering Wednesday’s games, Robert Thomas was second in the League in faceoff wins (64) and led the NHL in FOW percentage (70.3 percent; min. 50 faceoffs).
  • Brandon Saad is one shy of 500 career points.
  • Ryan Suter currently sits at 1,448 career NHL games played, the most among active players in the NHL.
  • Goaltender Jordan Binnington made his 276th career start Tuesday vs. Minnesota, passing Curtis Joseph for second all-time on the Blues franchise list (1. Liut, 339).