(SportsNetwork.com) – The St. Louis Blues got their recent road trip on track
by beating the Ottawa Senators over the weekend.
The Senators hope to return the favor on Tuesday night as they visit the Blues
and Scottrade Center.
Ottawa opened up a five-game road trip on Monday night with a 4-3 setback to
the Detroit Red Wings. Kyle Turris and Erik Karlsson both scored and had an
assist, while Mike Hoffman added a goal late.
Craig Anderson allowed all four goals — three in the second period — on 43
shots in the loss, the Senators’ sixth in eight games.
“We didn’t play hard enough for two periods,” Karlsson said. “We really can’t
let games slip away from us early.”
Karlsson has scored in back-to-back games as he also lit the lamp in
Saturday’s 3-2 setback to the visiting Blues. Mika Zibanejad tallied in the
loss as well, while Robin Lehner made 30 saves.
Brian Elliott made 24 saves and Alex Steen, Max Lapierre and Vladimir
Tarasenko scored for the Blues, who had lost both meetings with the Senators a
a season ago.
The win over the Senators snapped a two-game slide for the Blues, who opened a
four-game road trip with setbacks in Boston in Montreal. They then followed up
the win over the Sens with Sunday’s 4-2 decision over the Winnipeg Jets.
Jake Allen made 28 saves, while Winnipeg native Ryan Reaves netted the
eventual game-winning goal 2:25 into the third period. Jaden Schwartz and
David Backes added power-play goals in the second period, each time erasing a
one-goal lead held by Winnipeg.
“Two huge wins after two tough losses at the start of the trip. To be able to
get back on a winning note heading home was crucial for us,” said Allen.
St. Louis won for the 12th time in 15 games despite playing without defenseman
Jay Bouwmeester due to a lower-body injury he suffered in the game against
Ottawa. The ailment ended his consecutive games played streak at 737, which
was the fifth longest in NHL history.
Elliott is likely to start tonight for the Blues and the former Sens netminder
is 2-0-1 with a 1.96 goals against average and .931 save percentage versus his
old club.
Lehner could draw another start versus the Blues and is 2-1-0 with a 2.86 GAA
and .922 save percentage against them.
Ottawa has won three of its past four in St. Louis.
