Blues defenseman Eric Brewer did not skate this morning with the team. He has an undisclosed injury, but the Blues do expect him to play tonight.
Brewer practiced all week, including a full practice with the team on Thursday, and nothing seemed wrong with him when he came off the ice yesterday. It must be something that cropped up this morning.
If Brewer can’t play tonight, the d-pairings will be:
Jeff Woywitka-Barret Jackman
Steve Wagner-Roman Polak
Jay McKee-Mike Weaver
One note on the defensemen: This week in practice, the coaching staff had them take three slap shots each from the blue-line, with the focus on taking a half-wind up.
“We’re working on our (defensemen) having a quicker release,” Murray said. “I just said, ‘Let’s try some half-swing wind-ups and see what we do.”
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Patrik Berglund (groin) was not at practice either and I’m guessing won’t play tonight. That injury could be more serious than first expected by the Blues.
Without Berglund, the forward lines will look like this:
Steve Regier-Keith Tkachuk-Brad Boyes
Lee Stempniak-David Backes-David Perron
Yan Stastny-Jay McClement-BJ Crombeen
Brad Winchester-Cam Paddock-Cam Janssen
Funny story: On Regier’s first goal last Sunday, Janssen took the shot and the puck grazed off Regier before going in. Thinking the goal was his, Janssen raised his arm in the air and skated around the ice like he owned the place. Later officials properly credited Regier with the goal. “That was the best assist celebration I’ve ever seen,” Regier said to Janssen in the Blues’ locker room.
Backes on playing center tonight: “That’s fine with me. If I can play with ‘Stemper’ and ‘Perry,’ hopefully it’s a great combination. I’ll have to learn ‘baptism by fire’ at the position, but it’s part of the game. I’ve played (center) in college, but college seems in the distant past. (Murray) spotted me there before in a couple of practices when we’ve had injuries, and I get more comfortable every time I’m there.”
Murray talking about Winchester’s training camp and calling him up last night: “I didn’t (like Winchester’s camp) . . . that’s why he started the year in Peoria. He didn’t play hard enough and he didn’t play intense enough. He went to Peoria and he played the same way down there about the first six or seven games. In the last four games, he’s playing a lot harder, a lot more intense. He’s playing actually the way he played in the playoffs for Dallas last year in the last two games of their series against Detroit. We need him to play hard and he’s here because he’s playing harder.”
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Take a look at the Blues statistical leaders and their injuries:
Goals: Tkachuk (9)
Assists: Paul Kariya (13) out
Points: Andy McDonald (18) out
Shots: McDonald (46) out
Plus-minus: Berglund (+8) out
Ice time: Brewer (25:24) questionable
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Oshie update:
T.J. Oshie continues to undergo treatment for his high-ankle sprain, but he has not skated since suffering the injury Nov. 1. He said yesterday that he’s feeling much better, though.
“It’s getting to that stage where walking feels good again,” Oshie said. “I’m not pushing it, but I can do a lot more stuff than I could before. Just like putting more weight on it. If I wanted to, I could take a light jog . . . just working out in the weight room, it feels a lot better all around.”
Oshie is still wearing the boot on his left leg. “Hopefully we’re going to go our separate ways soon,” Oshie quipped.
So when will Oshie try skating? “I’m really hoping for next week . . . hoping,” he said. “I just got to see how that plays out.”
The injury came at a bad time for Oshie, who was proving to be one of the better forwards. “I was getting more comfortable . . . just feeling better in all situations on the ice,” he said. “I wasn’t as timid as I was early. I wasn’t scared to make plays and make mistakes, which I was to start. But actually from watching the games, I’m learning a lot of different things out there that will help me when I get back. You notice the structure a lot more watching on TV, as opposed to sitting on the bench.”
JR