BLUES The St. Louis Blues will begin a five-home stand - their longest of the season - on Friday night when they host the Washington Capitals at Enterprise Center.
The game will be the first meeting between the teams since Opening Night on Oct. 2, 2019 - the day the Blues raised their Stanley Cup banner to the rafters.
The Blues are coming off a 5-3 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG Paints Arena on Wednesday night. Brayden Schenn, Jordan Kyrou and Colton Parayko scored to help the Blues to a 3-1 lead in the second period, but Pittsburgh scored the next four goals - including three in the third period - to secure a win.
Vladimir Tarasenko, Scott Perunovich and Jake Walman were added to the League's COVID protocols on Thursday - giving Blues Head Coach Craig Berube just one game with a fully-healthy group of forwards. As a result, Berube will need to make some lineup adjustments for Friday's game against the Capitals.
CAPITALS The Washington Capitals battled back from a 3-1 deficit to force overtime, but the New Jersey Devils edged Washington 4-3 on an OT goal from Nico Hischier - his second of the game - on Sunday.
The Capitals fell to 20-6-8 on the season after the loss, which as of Thursday was tied for first in the Metropolitan Division with 48 points.
Alex Ovechkin leads the Capitals again in points by a long shot, posting 50 in 34 games this season. His 24 goals rank second in the League, while his 50 points rank third.
Washington was without Nicklas Backstrom and T.J. Oshie on Sunday due to a non-COVID related illness. Both players were still out as of Jan. 5.
RECENT MEETINGS The Blues have points in three straight games against the Capitals (2-0-1).
