(2-15-24) Blues-Oilers Gameday Lineup

ST. LOUIS -- The challenges will only continue to get tougher for the St. Louis Blues, who open a four-game homestand on Thursday against the red-hot Edmonton Oilers (31-17-1) at 7 p.m. (BSMW, ESPN 101.1-FM).

The Blues (28-22-2) are looking to remain in the race in the Western Conference wild card and currently hold down the second one, tied with the first wild card Los Angeles Kings in points with 58 but L.A. has two games in hand.

The challenge for the Blues will be to try and lock down Connor McDavid, one of the top, if not the top, players in the league who is coming off a six-assist game on Tuesday against the Detroit Red Wings.

It's a challenge that the Blues have thrived on in the past, limiting the opposition's top-line skaters and tonight may be the greatest one with McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Zach Hyman, Evander Kane, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and company.

"We're looking forward to the challenge," Blues center Robert Thomas said. "They're one of the top teams in the league and had a big streak there. They're playing really well and they've got a lot of weapons over there. It will be a good challenge for us.

"They're a team off the rush, they've been dangerous for many years. If you get into a run-and-gun game with them, it's not going to go in your favor. Just playing the way that's made us successful the last 10-12 games. It's something that we need to bring tonight to have a chance.

"Our line matches up well against many top lines. It's something that we look forward to every game is that challenge and trying to limit their offense as well as gets some goals for ourselves. It's a challenge that all three of us really take on and are excited for, especially for guys like McDavid and Draisaitl. Those are guys you want to play against as competitors. We're excited for that challenge."

Thomas and his linemates won't be on the ice every single time McDavid is, so it will be up to whoever it is to make sure they're defensively responsible when McDavid, who has 77 points (21 goals, 56 assists) in 47 games.

"Just speed, skill, the ability to make plays," Blues captain Brayden Schenn said of McDavid. "It's funny, it's not one guy that gets the job done, it's five-man groups that you have to be aware when he's on the ice. Guys like that, they're going to get chances, they're going to make plays. It's just on any given night how many can you limit them to. We're looking for the challenge tonight. Guys are always mentally ready to play when you've got two of the best players in the league coming into your building, especially when the team is, whatever they are, 18-2-0 their last 20 games.

"I think it's just more mentally ready to play. Mentally you know you can get embarrassed if you're not ready to play. When you have those top guys coming in, it just makes you that much more ready. These are the games that are always fun, they're always a challenge and you always have to bring your 'A' game to beat them."

Blues interim coach Drew Bannister wants the Blues to focus on the Oilers as a team, and not just one individual.

"I think we're preparing for their team. It's not just one player," he said. "There's a lot of good hockey players on that side. We're not going to approach it any different than if we're playing Colorado and how we played against [Nathan] MacKinnon. We're going to have to defend as a unit of five. We're going to have breakdowns, but we have to have layers to defend those players."

The Blues currently are in a logjam surrounding the playoff positions, two ahead of the Nashville Predators, three ahead of the Calgary Flames and Minnesota Wild and four ahead of the Seattle Kraken so every point is crucial.

"This is the fun part, the final 30 games when you're battling for the playoffs, when you're in a playoff spot and every game means so much," Schenn said. "You're going to do a little bit of scoreboard watching on the nights you're not playing. This is what you play for, the intense games, the games that mean lots down the stretch here. We're looking forward to this game, but just the week ahead with Nashville and Toronto."

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Forward Alexey Toropchenko's solid road trip will earn the Russian a step up in the lineup.

Toropchenko, who has scored in back-to-back games, moves up from the fourth line and will play with Kevin Hayes and Brandon Saad tonight, and Nikita Alexandrov moves in to the fourth line in place of Sammy Blais.

"Going back to the Buffalo game the one shift where he drove that puck to the net across the crease but didn't score, he drew a penalty and then we were able to score on that power play and get the first goal of the game," Bannister said of Toropchenko. "And then opening shift in Montreal, same thing, drives it, takes it to the net and is able to score. I think I talked about it with 'Torpo', he's going to do a lot of his goal-scoring around the blue paint and he's a big body that skates well and plays direct. When he gets a step on the 'D,' we saw it in those two games, he can cut to the net really hard and can create chaos around the blue paint. I thought he was probably our best player in all three games. He got rewarded for going to the hard areas and doing the right things. He's a straight line player and he's easy to play with. He's very predictable. He gets in on the forecheck and he plays a heavy game.

"The thing with 'Torpo', you're going to get an honest effort every night. He comes to work and play. He's an easy guy to move around and play with different players, but in the same sense, he's got to stay to his identity. Right now where he is and where he's been playing has worked for him and we'll continue to give him that ice time. He's been an important part of the PK too."

The fourth line, which has started the past three games, will likely do so again tonight and part of the energy brought by it was not only Toropchenko but also from Nathan Walker.

"He brings so much energy to the game, he drags guys in to the fight," Bannister said of Walker. "Similar player to 'Torpo' just a little bit shorter. But he plays a direct game, plays a heavy game, gets around the net, creates a lot of chaos. He's had a lot of success in the American League offensively. I don't know if it's quite translated here yet but he is still able to score. He plays a direct game that brings guys into the fight as a group. That's kind of what we're looking for early on in games from that group."

The 5-foot-9, 187-pound Walker is drawing attention for his clean check on former Blue Ryan Reaves, who is listed at 6-2, 228, a difference of five inches and 41 pounds, during Tuesday's game in Toronto.

"He put him on his butt there, but that's who he is," Bannister said of Walker. "He doesn't back down from anybody. I've never seen him back down from anything, whether it's a fight or a hit. He's the first guy to get pucks and he's the first guy to arrive on time."

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An injury update, Blues defenseman Scott Perunovich will miss his fifth straight game with a lower-body injury, but he was on the ice for the morning skate Thursday, a good sign according to Bannister.

"I think it was a good day for Scotty," Bannister said. "I don't want to say that he's anywhere near playing for us, but that's a good step. I thought he felt real good being out on the ice; he wanted to do more at the end. I didn't stay on to watch him do more, but I think it was a good day for Scotty today."

Defenseman Justin Faulk, also out with a lower-body injury, was not on the ice.

"'Faulker's still just kind of continuing to rehab away from the ice," Bannister said. "We're not at a point or close to a point where we feel he's going to be on the ice, but it's kind of day to day with him at this point."

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The Blues' projected lineup:

Pavel Buchnevich-Robert Thomas-Jordan Kyrou

Jake Neighbours-Brayden Schenn-Kasperi Kapanen

Brandon Saad-Kevin Hayes-Alexey Toropchenko

Nikita Alexandrov-Oskar Sundqvist-Nathan Walker

Nick Leddy-Colton Parayko

Torey Krug-Matt Kessel

Marco Scandella-Calle Rosen

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

Healthy scratches include Sammy Blais and Tyler Tucker. Justin Faulk (lower body) and Scott Perunovich (lower body) are out.

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The Oilers' projected lineup:

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins-Connor McDavid-Zach Hyman

Evander Kane-Leon Draisaitl-Dylan Holloway

Warren Foegele-Ryan McLeod-Corey Perry

Mattias Janmark-Derek Ryan-Connor Brown

Darnell Nurse-Cody Ceci

Mattias Ekholm-Evan Bouchard

Brett Kulak-Vincent Desharnais

Stuart Skinner will start in goal; Calvin Pickard will be the backup.

The healthy scratch includes Sam Gagner. The Oilers report no injuries.