Forward hasn't registered point in four games this season, feels he's close
ST. LOUIS -- It's been a slow start from a points production standpoint for Jake Neighbours.
The forward hasn't put his name on the scoresheet thus far for the 2-2-0 St. Louis Blues, who entertain the New York Islanders today at 7 p.m. (BSMW, ESPN 101.1-FM).
But we feel like that could and will change tonight.
The 22-year-old has found himself around the kitchen area of the net, where he made his living scoring 27 goals but that has been a tough place to make a living thus far despite the efforts to get there.
"It's not as easy anymore," Neighbours said. "I think teams got a book on me now, kind of know where I'm going. It's a little bit harder to get there.
"I think for me right now, it's just about arriving on time. I think a lot of the time I'm getting there, but it's at the wrong time and makes it easy for the d-man to box me out or makes it hard for me to get to a rebound or something like that. I'm getting there lots I think. It's just about getting there at the right times and being more available there."
Neighbours, who is also a minus-5, has been putting in the effort and has been doing things away from the puck, which is why the frustration of not scoring hasn't set in.
"I feel like I'm in the right areas and I feel like I'm making plays and having impacts in my shifts that maybe aren't resulting in points, but I've been happy with my play," Neighbours said. "I wasn't very good against Minnesota, but I thought on the road trip I played some good hockey. It's still early, I know it's coming. Being in the top six, so I know I've got to produce for my team.
"Just the way I play and the areas I go to, I'm bound to get one eventually here. I'm not too worried about it. I'm more worried about how I can impact the game in other ways. If you're not going to score, you have to be effective in other aspects of the game. I think I've been doing that. I've been physical, I've tried to be good defensively and try to create momentum for my team. Being in a top six role, you've got to produce a little bit. Looking to do that more. You get the minutes, you get the opportunities to be able to produce for your team. That's just the bottom line. We all know that. Myself personally, just being a little more patient with pucks, holding onto pucks a little bit longer and having more awareness and playing with my instincts. I think just gripping it a little too tight sometimes. Just got to go out there and play and get to the right areas and it'll start clicking."
Neighbours, who is tonight's player to watch, will flip with Jordan Kyrou and skate on a line with Pavel Buchnevich and Zack Bolduc.
"I think 'Jakey's been playing well," Blues coach Drew Bannister said. "I think offensively he hasn't really been able to find the back of the net. but I think even for 'Jakey', I think he can be a little bit more direct in the way he plays and be a little bit harder around the net. As a group, that's kind of bled into our game where as a whole right now, we're not around the blue paint enough. We have to be a little more direct getting there quickly."
