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Pre-Season GameDay Thread: Tampa Bay Lightning At St. Louis Blues

The Blues finally get a pre-season game in at Scottrade Center, as the hope to revenge... a pointless pre-season game that they lost on Wednesday night.

By hildymac
Dilip Vishwanat

Tonight's pre-season game will be veteran heavy, according to coach Ken Hitchcock. In an interview with Norm Sanders of the Belleville News Democrat, Hitch mentions his plans to load the line-up with some familiar faces for the Blues' first home exhibition game. According to Norm:

Friday's game will include the Blues' top line of David Backes centering Alexander Steen and T.J. Oshie along with Patrick Berglund with newcomer Magnus Paajarvi and Vladimir Tarasenko.

The defense pairings Friday will include Alex Pietrangelo and Jay Bouwmeester and Barret Jackman with Kevin Shattenkirk.

Pietrangelo missed only two days during his contract holdout, so Hitchcock wants him getting as many minutes as much as possible.

"He feels really good right now," Hitchcock said. "We'll see how much game stuff he needs. If he looks like he needs to play a lot more, he might just play the rest of the games."

Jaroslav Halak is the Blues goaltender Friday and Jake Allen will play Saturday.

Looks like the trio of goaltenders competing for time will just rotate - sorry, young guys. Enjoy Chicago (or wherever you get sent to).

From the Blues' official site, here's the full line-up card:

FORWARDS

Alexander Steen - David Backes - T.J. Oshie

Magnus Paajarvi - Patrik Berglund - Vladimir Tarasenko

Adam Cracknell - Maxim Lapierre - Ryan Reaves

Yannick Veilleux - Corey Locke - Tyler Shattock

DEFENSE

Jay Bouwmeester -Alex Pietrangelo

Barret Jackman - Kevin Shattenkirk

Ryan Whitney - Joel Edmundson

GOALIES

Jaroslav Halak

Brian Elliott

Anyone other than me excited about that third line? I know it's after the fact, but if the Blues want revenge for blowing a winable game and letting Vladimir Sobotka get plowed, all they need to do is unleash that line.

You won't be seeing William Carrier, Zach Pochiro, Ryan Tesink, and goaltender Francois Tremblay again in a pre-season game. They've all been re-assigned to their junior squads. You also won't be seeing Adam Erne again tonight either - he's been Shanabanned for three preseason games.


If you're going to the game, have fun and be safe. If you're not, well, welcome to the Game Day Thread. Listen in on Y98.

Let's win one. Let's Go Blues.