OTTAWA • Blues forward Matt D'Agostini left Tuesday's game after receiving a blow to the head, and while he hasn't been diagnosed with a concussion, the team is preparing to call up a forward from Peoria.

D'Agostini took a couple of hits in the first period from Ottawa's Jared Cowan, one behind the Senator's goal that appeared to catch D'Agostini high. He left the game and doctors didn't clear him to return.

Already without Jason Arnott, who traveled to Toronto on Tuesday for therapy on his shoulder, the Blues are left with 11 healthy forwards as they headed to play in New Jersey on Thursday. The club is expected to call up either Evgeny Grachev or Adam Cracknell in time for that game.

This marks the second time this season D'Agostini has left a game after a blow to the head. He was hit on Dec. 10 against the San Jose Sharks and exited without returning. With four days between games at the time, D'Agostini missed a couple days of practice, but no games.

The Blues already are without Alex Steen and Andy McDonald because of concussions. Steen and McDonald aren't on the team's three-game trip, as the club opted to keep them in St. Louis for extra rest to help clear their symptoms.

The potential of another injury would put the Blues in a bind, especially after learning that Arnott's injury might be worse than originally feared.

Arnott was injured Friday on a hit by Los Angeles' Dustin Brown. He missed his second game Tuesday, and after missing a couple of days of practice, the Blues sent him to Toronto for further evaluation. He's expected to meet the team in New Jersey.

"He's not ready," Hitchcock said before the game Tuesday. "I guess he's still day to day, but he's certainly not going to play (Tuesday) and then we'll see. It's just not coming around like we thought it would. It's the type of injury where you can't play if you can't fully protect yourself."

HUSKINS RETURN?

Blues defenseman Kent Huskins, who has been out since October with an ankle injury, is 90-95 percent healthy and "almost ready to go," Hitchcock said.

As far as the plan when Huskins returns, Hitchcock said Tuesday that he doesn't intend to put the defenseman back into the lineup as soon as he's available.

"I think if a (defenseman) gets hurt or we're not happy with a guy, then we wouldn't hesitate to play him," Hitchcock said. "But the six guys have done a great job here. And I think that unless somebody pushes his way out, then Husky will have to wait his turn. And then when it's his turn, I'm sure he's going to take advantage of it."

BLUENOTES

The Blues' victory was their first in Ottawa since Jan. 26, 2000, and they had lost five in a row going into Tuesday's game.