MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. -- It’s one final opportunity for those in the St. Louis Blues [http://thn.com/stlouis] lineup on Saturday against the Chicago Blackhawks [http://thn.com/chicago] to make a lasting impression before opening night lineups need to be submitted. The Blues (1-3-1) and Blackhawks (2-3-0) will close the preseason at 6 p.m. (stlblues.com, Blues app, ESPN 101.1-FM) from United Center in Chicago before it all gets underway on Thursday against the Minnesota Wild [http://thn.com/minnesota]. Guys that will be in the lineup tonight looking to make that impression include Alexandre Texier, Milan Lucic, Dalibor Dvorsky, Otto Stenberg, Hunter Skinner and Leo Loof before decisions are made. “See guys grab a spot,” Blues coach Jim Montgomery said. “For some of the guys, it’s their last impression to make the team.” One to keep an eye on is Texier, who is on the fringe despite being on an NHL contract, in the final year of a two-year, $4.2 million contract signed before being acquired from the Columbus Blue Jackets [http://thn.com/columbus] prior to last season. And the word that keeps coming up when talking about Texier: consistency. “I thought in camp like Day 1 was really good. Day 2 wasn’t as good as Day 1,” Montgomery said. “I talked to him about consistency. It’s always been something that needs for everybody’s game, but his game since he’s been a Blue, consistency game in game out, what we can expect. And then I thought the first game he played in Columbus, I thought he was good. And then the last game that he played, he played on a line with him and I think (Mathieu) Joseph was at center and Lucic I think was the line. They didn’t have a real center, so tonight he’s playing with (Pius) Suter and (Jordan) Kyrou, so it’s a good opportunity for him tonight. “You can say part of it is he hasn’t played a stretch of 10 games in a row. That could be it. But it’s up to players to earn the opportunity to play 10 games in a row, and unfortunately last year when he was on a good run, both times, one right before Christmas and one right before we came back from 4 Nations, unfortunately he fell ill and it cost him an opportunity to stay in the lineup.” Texier knows tonight will be important for him. “You’ve just got to play the same way every single night, no matter what, and that’s what I’m trying to do, play the same way and be consistent,” Texier said. “… You’ve just go to play the same way and be consistent no matter with you you play. I’m just going to try and play my game. It’s the last game of preseason. I know I’ve got to have a good one. “In this league, you go up and down. Things can change quick. You just focus on your game and try to bring your best with your line that you’re playing with that night.” When Texier is at his best, Montgomery said he’s “Dynamic, incredible puck protection, speed in transition offensively and defensively and someone that just wins a lot of puck battles when he’s on top of his game. It’s very noticeable. “I think he can fit any line role when he’s on top of his game. He’s scored goals on the first line last year, he’s scored goals on the third line and fourth line. He’s just a dynamic, talented player that hopefully he gets that confidence and is able to do some of those things that we’re hoping for.” Texier had just 11 points (six goals, five assists) in 31 games, his first with the Blues. “It’s in the past,” Texier said. “It was a tough season. I don’t want to look back. It’s a new season, I’m fresh and I’m ready to go.” - - - For a guy like Stenberg, who is likely to play in Springfield of the American Hockey League this season, it’s been a really strong camp, his first in St. Louis. “Real smart hockey player,” Montgomery said. “I think someone that the more you’re around him as a coach, you become trustworthy with them because he’s very intelligent and picks up how we want to play, picks up nuances of the gray area that always exists in a fluid game of hockey. Just a real good hockey player. Now we need to see the consistency as a pro and can he handle the speed, size and strength of the NHL. That’s something if we don’t find it out this year, we’re going to find it out pretty soon.” It’s been quite the impression from someone transitioning from Europe to North American “I think it’s been very impressive,” Montgomery said. “Personally I feel like he’s adapted really well as someone coming over. Now maybe a half a year in Springfield helped him adapt and that’s why it’s always smart to come over when you can when the team wants you to come and have an opportunity to be part of the organization as quick as possible.” - - - Defenseman Logan Mailloux, who will be paired with Tyler Tucker tonight, will quarterback PP1 for the Blues, which includes Jimmy Snuggerud, Robert Thomas, Texier and Stenberg. The Blues will head into the season with Cam Fowler and Justin Faulk as their power play quarterbacks, but the thought of an offensive defenseman like Mailloux is an intriguing option if necessary. But not at this moment. “We want Mailloux to really just focus on being a really good 5-on-5 defenseman, 200-foot defenseman that he has shown at both ends of the ice already. And a penalty killer,” Montgomery said. “We have two veteran defensemen that know … our power play was third in the NHL post-Christmas. We don’t need a lot of tweaks there right now until we see that there may need to be.” - - - Blues Projected Lineup: Jake Neighbours-Robert Thomas-Jimmy Snuggeruid Alexandre Texier-Pius Suter-Jordan Kyrou Milan Lucic-Nick Bjugstad-Alexey Toropchenko Otto Stenberg-Dalibor Dvorsky-Aleksanteri Kaskimaki Tyler Tucker-Logan Maulloux Leo Loof-Matthew Kessel Theo Lindstein-Hunter Skinner Joel Hofer will start in goal; Colten Ellis will be the backup. - - - Blackhawks Roster:
