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St. Louis (2-5-1) at Phoenix (3-6-1)
Game Info: 9:00 pm CDT Tue 10/25/05
The St. Louis Blues expect to have Keith Tkachuk back on the ice when they try to end a two-game skid in a matchup with the struggling Phoenix Coyotes.
Tkachuk has missed three straight games after being hit in the stomach with the butt end of a stick in a loss to the Nashville Predators on Oct. 15.
The left wing, who had 33 goals and 38 assists in 2003-04, is expected to be activated from the injured list and play against the Coyotes.
St. Louis had 18 shots in the final 20 minutes, but lost 3-2 to the Minnesota Wild on Saturday for its second straight defeat and third in four games.
Mike Sillinger and Mark Rycroft both scored their first goals of the season for the Blues, and goalie Patrick Lalime stopped 28 shots in a frustrating loss.
``That's probably the best game we've played all year from the standpoint of throwing pucks on net,'' Blues forward Dallas Drake said. ``We had a lot of chances.''
The Coyotes have lost two straight after winning a season-high two in a row.
Phoenix fell 5-3 to the Anaheim Mighty Ducks on Sunday, and has given up eight goals in its last two games after yielding only five in its previous three contests.
The Coyotes narrowed the gap to 3-2 in the second period on Mike Leclerc's second goal of the game, and Geoff Sanderson's power-play goal with 5:39 remaining made it 4-3, but the Ducks held on.
Phoenix coach Wayne Gretzky pulled goalie Curtis Joseph after the first period, going to David LeNeveu. Joseph remains one win short of becoming the ninth NHL goalie with 400 victories.
Coyotes forward Jamie Lundmark, who was acquired from the New York Rangers last Tuesday, made his first appearance for Phoenix on Sunday. He skated the majority of the game on a line with Sanderson and Fredrik Sjostrom.
STANDINGS (through Oct. 23): Blues - 5 points, 4th place, 11 PB, Central Division. Coyotes - 7 points, 3rd place (tied), 5 PB, Pacific Division.
TEAM LEADERS: Blues - Dean McAmmond, 4 goals; Petr Cajanek, 8 assists and 9 points; Jamal Mayers, 16 PIM. Coyotes - Oleg Saprykin, 4 goals; Paul Mara and Shane Doan, 5 assists; four with 7 points; Tyson Nash, 31 PIM.
SPECIAL TEAMS (through Oct. 23): Blues - Power play: 18.4 percent (9 for 49), 14th in NHL. Penalty killing: 83.0 percent (39 for 47), 16th. Coyotes - Power play: 19.4 percent (12 for 62), 11th. Penalty killing: 79.7 percent (47 for 59), 22nd.
GOALTENDERS: Blues - Lalime (2-5-1, 3.44 GAA); Reinhard Divis (0-0-0, 2.15). Coyotes - Joseph (3-3-0, 1 SO, 2.38); LeNeveu (0-3-1, 3.25).
2003-04 SEASON SERIES: Coyotes, 2-1-1.
LAST MEETING: Feb. 16, 2004; Blues, 4-2. At St. Louis, Chris Pronger had a goal and an assist to lead the Blues.
ROAD/HOME RECORDS: Blues - 0-1-1 on the road; Coyotes - 1-1-1 at home.
Game Info: 9:00 pm CDT Tue 10/25/05
The St. Louis Blues expect to have Keith Tkachuk back on the ice when they try to end a two-game skid in a matchup with the struggling Phoenix Coyotes.
Tkachuk has missed three straight games after being hit in the stomach with the butt end of a stick in a loss to the Nashville Predators on Oct. 15.
The left wing, who had 33 goals and 38 assists in 2003-04, is expected to be activated from the injured list and play against the Coyotes.
St. Louis had 18 shots in the final 20 minutes, but lost 3-2 to the Minnesota Wild on Saturday for its second straight defeat and third in four games.
Mike Sillinger and Mark Rycroft both scored their first goals of the season for the Blues, and goalie Patrick Lalime stopped 28 shots in a frustrating loss.
``That's probably the best game we've played all year from the standpoint of throwing pucks on net,'' Blues forward Dallas Drake said. ``We had a lot of chances.''
The Coyotes have lost two straight after winning a season-high two in a row.
Phoenix fell 5-3 to the Anaheim Mighty Ducks on Sunday, and has given up eight goals in its last two games after yielding only five in its previous three contests.
The Coyotes narrowed the gap to 3-2 in the second period on Mike Leclerc's second goal of the game, and Geoff Sanderson's power-play goal with 5:39 remaining made it 4-3, but the Ducks held on.
Phoenix coach Wayne Gretzky pulled goalie Curtis Joseph after the first period, going to David LeNeveu. Joseph remains one win short of becoming the ninth NHL goalie with 400 victories.
Coyotes forward Jamie Lundmark, who was acquired from the New York Rangers last Tuesday, made his first appearance for Phoenix on Sunday. He skated the majority of the game on a line with Sanderson and Fredrik Sjostrom.
STANDINGS (through Oct. 23): Blues - 5 points, 4th place, 11 PB, Central Division. Coyotes - 7 points, 3rd place (tied), 5 PB, Pacific Division.
TEAM LEADERS: Blues - Dean McAmmond, 4 goals; Petr Cajanek, 8 assists and 9 points; Jamal Mayers, 16 PIM. Coyotes - Oleg Saprykin, 4 goals; Paul Mara and Shane Doan, 5 assists; four with 7 points; Tyson Nash, 31 PIM.
SPECIAL TEAMS (through Oct. 23): Blues - Power play: 18.4 percent (9 for 49), 14th in NHL. Penalty killing: 83.0 percent (39 for 47), 16th. Coyotes - Power play: 19.4 percent (12 for 62), 11th. Penalty killing: 79.7 percent (47 for 59), 22nd.
GOALTENDERS: Blues - Lalime (2-5-1, 3.44 GAA); Reinhard Divis (0-0-0, 2.15). Coyotes - Joseph (3-3-0, 1 SO, 2.38); LeNeveu (0-3-1, 3.25).
2003-04 SEASON SERIES: Coyotes, 2-1-1.
LAST MEETING: Feb. 16, 2004; Blues, 4-2. At St. Louis, Chris Pronger had a goal and an assist to lead the Blues.
ROAD/HOME RECORDS: Blues - 0-1-1 on the road; Coyotes - 1-1-1 at home.
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