A Little House Cleaning

We were going to have a story up last night, and then the Internet froze at home when the temperature hit 0 degrees. It's a balmy 3.8 degrees now, so the Information Super Highway is moving again. Time for a little house cleaning.

First of all, Keith Tkachuk says he'll be back in the lineup tonight against the Colorado Avalanches. He was knocked loopy in a Calgary Flames sandwiche on Tuesday night. He's the only Blues player scheduled for unrestricted free agency this summer who hasn't spent time on the injured list so far this season. Depressing is what that is.

Our guess for starting goaltender tonight is Manny Legace. Just a guess, but Chris Mason didn't really do enough in Calgary to warrant back-to-back starts. And the Blues have one day off between every game between now and the All-Star break.

I hope you aren't expecting to see Joe Sakic. He was already on the shelf with a herniated disc in his back. But back in early December, the Colorado captain had a mishap with a snow blower at his home. You'd think Sakic could afford to hire some kids to shovel his estate. Anway, he broke three fingers and damaged a tendon. The injury required surgery that is expected to keep him sidelined until early March. Before his run of bad luck started, he had two goals and 10 assists in 15 games.

You also won't see Paul Stastny who broke a forearm right before Christmas. It required surgery and he's out at least four more weeks. Obviously the Avalanches are about the only team in the Western Conference that can relate to the impact of injuries the Blues have felt this season.

If you're interested, you can always get the view from the other side of the fence at Mile High Hockey.

Finally, it's going to be damn cold at the game tonight. How cold, you ask?

Top 11 Signs It's Cold In St. Louis

11. Ice sickles hanging from the Arch.
10. People buying the Game Time paper throw their $4 in the bucket and take their copy from the vendor's cold, dead hand.
9. Hot chocolate vendors more popular than the ones who sell beer.
8. More than one person is dressed like a big bear for warmth.
7. No one outside asking for change.
6. Metrolink powered by sled dogs.
5. Scalpers asking for extra tickets as well as extra scarves, mittens and hats.
4. Drinkscotch Center actually has the heat turned on.
3. When the Blues blow the game late, most fans stay because it's warmer inside the ice rink than outside.
2. Guy playing saxophone on the corner had to have it surgically removed from his lips.
1. Fans bringing bread, milk and eggs into the game.

We'll have a game-day thread up closer to game time...here at St. Louis Game Time.