Sundqvist returns after being healthy scratch the past two games, knows his game in Washington wasn't good enough; Joseph out with lower-body injury
ST. LOUIS – Oskar Sundqvist understands what went wrong and how to fix it.
The St. Louis Blues veteran forward, a healthy scratch the past two games, will return to the lineup when the Blues (5-8-3) host the Calgary Flames (4-11-2) on Tuesday (7 p.m.; FDSNMW, ESPN 101.1-FM).
Sundqvist, like many of his teammates did not play particularly well in a 6-1 loss to the Washington Capitals on Nov. 5 and has not been in the lineup since.
“I think it was by far my worst game throughout the season,” Sundqvist said. “I did plays that I usually don’t do. Obviously I wasn’t good enough. I know what I did wrong and I know what I need to be better at. Obviously excited to be back tonight and show that I can be reliable again.”
Sundqvist has five assists in eight games and understood why he was out.
“He tells you why you’re not playing and his side of what they see out there and you obviously get your chance to tell them how you feel about it,” Sundqvist said. “They’re good at talking and communicating and kind of showing if you want to get shown what you did, why you’re not playing. They’ll show you that too, They’ve been good with the communication.”
The 31-year-old was centering the fourth line between Alexey Toropchenko and Nathan Walker at practice on Monday, and coach Jim Montgomery wasn’t committing to a return to the lineup but made the change with Mathieu Joseph being out Tuesday with a lower-body injury that he sustained in practice on Monday.
“A glue guy that, I think we haven’t used him and Toropchenko and Walker yet,” Montgomery said. “That’s how we envisioned the fourth line kind of being and this is a good opportunity for them to become an identity line for us.”
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Last one from Montgomery regarding the goaltender interference play at the end of regulation on Saturday was that this was the explanation he got:
“There’s a rule on Page 64, if my memory’s serving me correct, 34c that the play by the forward in the crease had no discernible affect on our goaltender playing his position,” Montgomery said. “Lawyer talk for me, I want hockey talk.
“As long as he’s not allowed to play his position. As long as it affects him from playing his position. You’re right on all accounts, and that’s why we felt the way the language wins, we were going to win the verdict. Refs on the ice make the final call.
“We believe that if it was called no goal, it would have remained no goal. It was called a goal, they were saying it’s going to remain a goal.”
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With it being Salute to Military Night at the game on Tuesday, Montgomery wanted to make sure to recognize those who deserve it.
"I want to start this remembrance day by thanking those who served, especially my grandfather who served in World War I for Canada, and my father-in-law, who served the United States two tours of duty in Vietnam," Montgomery said. "Very grateful for our freedom and our lifestyles that we get to lead because of these men who served our countries."
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When he makes the start tonight, Jordan Binnington will become the all-time leader in franchise history among goalies in games played with 348, a record previously held by Mike Liut.
Binnington, a Stanley Cup champion in 2019, is 176-121-38 with a 2.79 goals-against average and .905 save percentage in his regular-season career.
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Blues Projected Lineup:
Pavel Buchnevich-Robert Thomas-Jimmy Snuggerud
Brayden Schenn-Pius Suter-Nick Bjugstad
Dylan Holloway-Dalibor Dvorsky-Jordan Kyrou
Alexey Toropchenko-Oskar Sundqvist-Nathan Walker
Philip Broberg-Colton Parayko
Cam Fowler-Justin Faulk
Tyler Tucker-Matthew Kessel
Jordan Binnington will start in goal; Joel Hofer will be the backup.
Healthy scratches include Oskar Sundqvist, Alexandre Texier and Hunter Skinner. Jake Neighbours (leg) and Mathieu Joseph (lower body) are out.
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Flames Projected Lineup:
Jonathan Huberdeau-Morgan Frost-Matt Coronato
Yegor Sharangovich-Nazem Kadri-Joel Farabee
Samuel Honzek-Mikael Backlund-Blake Coleman
Ryan Lomberg-Connor Zary-Adam Klapka
Kevin Bahl-Rasmus Andersson
Yan Kuznetsov-MacKenzie Weegar
Joel Hanley-Brayden Pachal
Dustin Wolf will start in goal; Devin Cooley will be the backup.
Scratches include Justin Kirkland, Jake Bean and Daniil Miromanov. Martin Pospisil (undisclosed) and Zayne Parekh (upper body) are out.
'I wanted energy to be up, I wanted us to be talking louder than the music, so we’re demanding pucks' -- Blues bring out music in practice on Monday
Jake Neighbours plays role of DJ with songs from AC/AC, John Mellencamp; practice day follows day of bag skate
'I’m Just Going To Wait On That Call To Get The Nod To Go In And If I Do' -- If Skinner Gets Shot With Blues, It Would Be His NHL Debut
Defenseman recalled from Springfield Sunday after St. Louis sent Logan Mailloux down; could Bjugstad sit?; Dvorsky gets chance with Kyrou, Holloway; Joseph takes fall
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