(SportsNetwork.com) – For the first time in his NHL career, Martin Brodeur
will start a game for a team other than the New Jersey Devils.
Brodeur is expected to make his St. Louis Blues debut on Thursday night when
they resume a four-game road trip against the Nashville Predators.
The 42-year-old Brodeur signed with the Blues on Tuesday and he served as the
backup last night to Jake Allen in a 4-1 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks. Allen
gave up four goals on 33 shots.
St. Louis signed Brodeur after Brian Elliott was lost on a week-to-week basis
with a knee injury and is set to see his first game action since April 13 with
the Devils.
The 20th overall pick by New Jersey in the 1990 draft, Brodeur captured three
Stanley Cup titles and won the Vezina Trophy four times during his lengthy
tenure with the franchise. However, the Devils opted not to re-sign Brodeur
this offseason and turned to Cory Schneider to serve as the No. 1 goalie.
An obvious future Hall of Famer, Brodeur is the NHL’s all-time leader in wins
(688), shutouts (124) and games played (1,259).
Brodeur’s expected start comes in the third contest of St. Louis’ road trip.
It has split the first two games and last night’s loss marked the first time
in six games that the Blues failed to log a point (4-1-1).
Ian Cole had the lone goal in defeat as St. Louis saw Chicago forward Kris
Versteeg score a goal and set up two tallies by teammate Patrick Kane. All
three markers by the Blackhawks came in the first 5:19 of the third period.
“We just weren’t sharp enough in the third period,” said Blues forward
Alexander Steen.
Brodeur, meanwhile, will be tested by a Predators offense that has scored only
four goals in the past three games and has been held to three non-shootout
goals or fewer in six straight since a 9-2 win over Toronto on Nov. 18.
Nashville had a four-game winning streak snapped on Tuesday with a 2-1 setback
to Carolina. Mike Ribeiro scored in the third period and Pekka Rinne ended
with 23 saves.
“We’ve got to move on,” said Predators coach Peter Laviolette. “It wasn’t from
a lack of effort or a lack of looks.”
The Blues and Preds split two meetings in St. Louis earlier this season,
though the Blues have won seven of eight and 11 of the past 13 meetings
overall. They have also won six straight and eight of 10 in Nashville.
The Predators’ Filip Forsberg has two goals and five points in the two
meetings this season.
