Similar to Saturday night's game, I'll post a semi-running commentary in the comments section. Feel free to drop in and discuss!

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TONIGHT'S GAME

St. Louis (1-0-0, 2 points) at Nashville (0-0-1, 1 point)
Game Time: 5:00pm Central
Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, TN


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TALE OF THE TAPE

Goals scored per game: Blues 2nd (6.00 GPG), Nashville T-15th (2.00 GPG)

Goals allowed per game: Blues 1st (0.00 GPG), Nashville T-9th (2.00 GPG)

Shots per game: Blues 5th (36.0 SPG), Nashville T-6th (34.0 SPG)

Shots allowed per game: Blues 1st (14.0 SPG), Nashville T-10th (28.0 SPG)

Save percentage: Blues 1st (1.000 SV%), Nashville

Power Play: Blues 3rd (4-for-5, 80%), Predators T-1st (1-for-1, 100%)

Penalty Kill: Blues 1st (4-for-4, 100%, 1 SHG), Predators 23rd (1-for-2, 50%)


***

PROJECTED BLUES LINES

FORWARDS
Perron - Backes - Oshie
Schwartz - Berglund - Stewart
McDonald - Steen - Tarasenko
Sobotka - Nichol - Reaves

DEFENSE
Cole - Pietrangelo
Jackman - Shattenkirk
Russell - Polak

GOALIES
Halak
Elliott

Scratches: Redden, Langenbrunner, D’Agostini.
Injuries: none

Wade Redden has officially signed with the Blues; however, he will not be in the lineup tonight as he hasn’t secured a work visa yet. As a result, Jeff Woywitka remains with the team as the #7 defenseman. The only other possible change might be Langenbrunner in for Reaves - but with Clune on the roster for the Predators (currently he's shown to be out of the lineup), it's possible Reaves gets penciled in again. Otherwise, don’t expect any changes from Saturday night.

***

FROM THE OTHER BENCH

FORWARDS
Kostitsyn-Fisher-Erat
Wilson-Legwand-Hornqvist
Smith-Gaustad-Halischuk
McGrattan-Spaling-Yip

DEFENSE
Josi-Weber
Hannan-Klein
Ellis-Gill

GOALIES
Rinne
Mason

Scratches: Clune, Mueller, Blum
Injuries: none

Appears that there are no substantial changes for the Predators either. Victor Bartley was assigned to Milwaukee (AHL) to make room for Chris Mueller.

***

LAST GAME

-- The Blues routed Detroit 6-0 in their season opener, with rookie Vladimir Tarasenko scoring twice on his first 2 NHL shots. Chris Stewart added a pair of power play goals, T.J. Oshie had a short-handed goal and an assist, and Jaroslav Halak made 14 saves as the Blues dominated their longtime Central Division nemesis in shocking fashion.

-- The Predators got out early on a Martin Erat goal just 39 seconds into the season, but couldn’t hold on and fell to Columbus 3-2 in the shootout. Ryan Ellis also scored, and Sergei Kostitsyn had a pair of assists while Pekka Rinne picked up an assist on the Erat goal and stopped 26 shots.

***

PREVIEW

If history is any guide of what to expect, there should be a lot of defense and little goal scoring tonight. Just 13 of the 48 games waged since the 2005 lockout have seen 6 or more goals, while 28 of them have seen a margin of victory of only 1 goal. That means close games are largely the norm, and shootouts have become a semi-regular thing as a result. Since 2005, the Blues and Predators have gone to overtime 17 times, with the game ending in a shootout 12 times. Past regulation, the Predators have had the Blues number; they’re 12-5 in extra time, including 8-4 in the shootout.

In past years, the Predators have had the Blues number – and that’s something the Blues will have to change early on with Nashville appearing on the schedule today, Thursday, and February 5. Since the 2005 lockout, the Blues are 15-21-12 against the Predators; last year they were 2-2-2 though they did take the final two games. Over the last 3 seasons, the Blues are 7-7-4 against the Predators.

Last Blues win in Nashville: February 23, 2012 (St. Louis 3, Nashville 2 - SO)
Last Blues shutout in Nashville: October 28, 2010 (St. Louis 3, Nashville 0)

This will be the final home game for the Predators before they take off on a season-long 7-game road trip that will see them go to Minnesota and St. Louis before a swing out west, then another stop in St. Louis.

***

Coming tonight: a recap of the game, and a brief look ahead to tomorrow night's game vs. Chicago.

GO BLUES!

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