(11-3-26) Blues-Rangers Gameday Lineup

Colton Parayko is not ready yet, Ross Johnston is back, and Aleksanteri Kaskimaki, fresh off scoring his first NHL goal, will be a healthy scratch when the St. Louis Blues (7-6-1) play the second of a four-game road trip against the New York Rangers (7-7-1) Tuesday at 6 p.m. (Blue Note+, ESPN 101.1-FM) at Madison Square Garden.

Parayko missed Saturday's 5-4 win at the Detroit Red Wings with an upper-body injury suffered in a 4-1 win over the Boston Bruins last Thursday and continues to be listed as day-to-day, with the Blues wanting to be cautious with him and not turn it into a prolonged injury.

Johnston, who has not played since Oct. 15 against the Minnesota Wild due to a lower-body injury, was to return to the lineup at some point on this road trip, Blues coach Jim Montgomery said prior to the team departing, and looks like today is the day, and he will replace Kaskimaki, who scored his first NHL goal -- the game-winner -- on Saturday.

Some of you may be scoffing at the notion of Kaskimaki coming out, and it's a valid thought since the rookie has played really well since his recall from Springfield of the American Hockey League, but the Rangers are a physical team and possess one of the toughest fighters in the league in Matt Rempe, and Johnston's presence for that alone will be imperative in case there are fisticuffs.

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With defenseman Logan Mailloux being sent to Springfield of the American Hockey League for a conditioning assignment from the broken hand he suffered in the final preseason game on Sept. 26 against the Chicago Blackhawks, there's a chance -- albeit a slight one -- he could be ready as early as Saturday in the final game of the trip against the Nashville Predators but more likely when the team returns home next week in a rematch against the Red Wings.

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The Blues will make a third attempt at that elusive third straight win. 

In attempts earlier this season, they lost 4-0 to the Carolina Hurricanes Oct. 24 and 5-4 to the Wild.

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Blues Projected Lineup:

Dylan Holloway-Robert Thomas-Jimmy Snuggerud

Connor McMichael-Mason McTavish-Jonatan Berggren

Jake Neighbours-Dalibor Dvorsky-Pavel Buchnevich

Alexey Toropchenko-Pius Suter-Ross Johnston

Philip Broberg-Brandon Carlo

Cam Fowler-Adam Jiricek

Theo Lindstein-Justin Barron

Joel Hofer will start in goal; Jordan Binnington will be the backup.

The healthy scratch includes Aleksanteri Kaskimaki. Colton Parayko (upper body), Tyler Tucker (knee) and Dillon Dube (neck) are out.

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Rangers Projected Lineup:

Pavel Dorofeyev-Mika Zibanejad-Alexis Lafreniere

Tye Kartye-J.T. Miller-Gabe Perreault

Eeli Tolvanen-Will Cuylle-Oliver Bjorkstrand

Jaroslav Chlemar-Noah Laba-Matt Rempe

Vladislav Gavrikov-Adam Fox

Marcus Pettersson-Braden Schneider

Alberts Smits-Scott Morrow

Dylan Garand will start in goal; James Reimer will be the backup.

Healthy scratches include Luke Glendening and Matthew Robertson. Igor Shesterkin (lower body), Joonas Korpisalo (lower body), Sean Durzi (undisclosed) and Joseph Veleno (lower body) are out.

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