Preview: Blues vs. Capitals

When: Saturday, Jan. 20 at 7 p.m. CT
Where: Enterprise Center in St. Louis, MO
Watch: Bally Sports, Bally Sports App
Listen: 101 ESPN, Blues App
Tickets: Online at Ticketmaster.com

The St. Louis Blues did not get the start to the home-and-home set they wanted on Thursday night, falling 5-2 to the Capitals in Washington, D.C. Nathan Walker scored a pair of goals, but the Blues were unable to withstand a strong performance from Washington's power play and a hat trick from former Blue TJ Oshie and they fell 5-2.

The Capitals, who have struggled on the power play this season, went 2-for-4 - both goals by Oshie - and the Blues went 0-for-5 to mark the main difference in Thursday's contest.

"We gave them good looks on their power plays and didn't generate any on ours," said Justin Faulk, who assisted on Walker's second goal. "We had plenty of chances to find ways to make this a tighter game and buckle down on the penalty kill, and we just weren't able to."

Oshie, whose hat trick was No. 7 of his NHL career, has 10 points in 26 games this season - six of which have come in his last four games. Since his trade from the Blues in 2015, Oshie has nine points in eight games against the Blues.

Nick Leddy, Colton Parayko and Nikita Alexandrov also recorded points for the Blues, Alexandrov's marking his first NHL point this season - immediately after his recall from a conditioning assignment in Springfield.

The Blues and Caps both return to St. Louis this weekend to finish their home-and-home series, meeting Saturday night as the Blues honor their franchise legends inducted to the Blues Hall of Fame. The rematch marks the Blues' last home game for eight days, playing in Calgary, Vancouver and Seattle next week.

The Blues are 21-20-2 on the season heading into Saturday's matchup, while the Capitals are 22-15-6.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

BLUES Colton Parayko, who helped set up Nathan Walker's first goal of the game on Thursday night. Parayko has five goals and three assists at Enterprise Center this season, including an overtime game-winning goal against the Stars last month.

CAPITALS  Alex Ovechkin, who recorded an assist on Thursday night in his return from a lower-body injury. The future Hall of Famer has eight points over an active seven-game point streak, up to a team-leading 28 on the season.

BLUE NOTES

• The Blues have won back-to-back home games against Washington and have earned points in their last four games against the Capitals at Enterprise Center (3-0-1)
• The Blues will finish out a stretch of seven straight games against Eastern Conference opponents on Saturday vs. Washington (2-3-1 so far)
• The Blues will celebrate their 2024 Hall of Fame class on Saturday vs. Washington, after their induction on Friday night
  • Keith Tkachuk, Mike Liut, and Pavol Demitra make up the Blues 2024 Hall of Fame Inductees
  • Tkachuk appeared in 543 games for the Blues, posting 427 points (208g, 219a). His 208 goals rank 6th on the Blues all-time franchise list, while his 427 points rank 12th and his 29 game-winning goals share 7th
  • Pavol Demitra appeared in 494 games with the Blues, posting 493 points (204g, 289a). His 204 goals and 289 assists each rank 8th on the Blues all-time franchise list, while his 493 points rank 7th and his 45 game-winning goals rank 2nd
  • Mike Liut appeared in 347 games with the Blues, posting a 151-133-52 record. Liut is the Blues all-time leader in games played (347), games started (339) and wins (151)