Blues forward due to make impact; has gone without a goal in nine straight games (two assists); did have goal, assist in 4-3 win against Hurricanes on Oct. 19
It's been a tough stretch for Jake Neighbours as of late, as far as putting up offensive numbers.
The St. Louis Blues forward has just two assists the past nine games and hasn't scored since Oct. 26 against the Montreal Canadiens and is a minus-8.
So what would make Neighbours the player to watch on Sunday at 4 p.m. (FDSNMW, ESPN 101.1-FM)? Simply put: he's due. And he seems to rise against this very good opponent the Blues will face on the second of a back-to-back.
In the earlier matchup this season, a 4-3 Blues come-from-behind win, in which they were outshot 40-19 and won -- largely thanks to Joel Hofer's 37-save effort -- Neighbours had his only multi-point game of the season with a goal and an assist, and in this very building -- the Lenovo Center -- last season, a 2-1 shootout win for the Blues, Neighbours stepped onto the spotlight and scored a shootout goal which kept the game alive having to score in the bottom of the third round to keep the game alive.
And even though it's only bee three career games against the Hurricanes (12-4-0), Neighbours has a hand in two wins and getting top-line minutes, the Blues can't rely on the 'WTF' Line like they did Saturday. They'll need offense today from top-line skaters.
The Blues have had other players recently --Brandon Saad, Brayden Schenn -- that were due to have an impact. Neighbours is next; he's due.
