Music: {allcanada} BLUES (39-18-4) at OILERS (18-34-10)

Friday, February 27, 2015

{allcanada} BLUES (39-18-4) at OILERS (18-34-10)

ESPN Fantasy Baseball / Yahoo Fantasy Baseball

Saturday, February 28, 2015

10:00 PM ET

BLUES (39-18-4) at OILERS (18-34-10)

TV: CBC, FS-MW

Season series: David Backes and Vladimir Tarasenko each had a goal and an assist and Jori Lehtera and Barret Jackman had two assists each in the St. Louis Blues' 4-2 victory against the Edmonton Oilers on Jan. 13. Benoit Pouliot scored both Oilers goals.

Blues team scope: The Blues did not practice Friday after defeating the Winnipeg Jets 2-1 in a shootout Thursday. They made one move in their lineup during the game, shifting fourth-line right wing Ryan Reaves to the third line; Reaves had an assist. "We needed way more weight against who they were defending against," Blues coach Ken Hitchcock said. "I thought Ryan really, really helped that line [with Paul Stastny and Patrik Berglund, who scored]. He gave those guys some room and some space. They scored a big goal for us." After facing the Oilers on Saturday the Blues will conclude the Canada swing of their five-game trip Sunday against the Vancouver Canucks. Goalie Brian Elliott, who made 30 saves Thursday, will start against the Oilers. Defenseman Ian Cole is questionable because of an upper-body injury. The Blues have won four in a row at Rexall Place.

Oilers team scope: Right wing Nail Yakupov could return to the lineup Saturday after he missed a 2-1 victory at the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday because of a groin injury. Coach Todd Nelson told reporters Friday that Yakupov looks good for Saturday. "He skated hard and looks like he's back to normal," he said. Nelson said he hasn't decided who will come out of the lineup so Yakupov could play. Yakupov has nine goals and 21 points in 61 games but has four goals and four assists in the past eight games. Right wing Tyler Pitlick (lacerated spleen) and defenseman Nikita Nikitin (shoulder) practiced but were wearing non-contact jerseys. Defenseman Jeff Petry, the subject of trade rumors ahead of the NHL Trade Deadline on at 3 p.m. ET on Monday, could be playing his final game as an Oiler. "Looks like he's handling it great," Nelson said. "He's come to the rink every day; you could see him on the ice today at practice having fun, working hard. He hasn't brought anything up with me but looks like he's living day-by-day." The Oilers have scored one goal or fewer in four of their past six home games.

Team Stats