Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

Goalie nods: Elliott looks to keep Blues’ shutout streak alive

Brian Elliott

St. Louis Blues goalie Brian Elliott is unable to control the puck during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Winnipeg Jets Tuesday, Feb. 9, 2016, in St. Louis. After Elliott lost control, Jet’s Bryan Little was able to knock the puck in for a goal. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

AP

To say Brian Elliott has been good since returning from injury would be an understatement -- he’s been unbeatable.

Literally.

After coming back from a 10-game absence on Mar. 19, Elliott has posted three straight shutouts, stopping all 71 shots faced for one of the best runs of his lengthy career.

Tonight, the veteran netminder will look for a fourth clean sheet when the Blues host the Avs in St. Louis. All told, it could be the Blues’ fifth shutout in a row, as Jake Allen recorded one of his own, blanking the NHL-leading Capitals on Saturday night.

“It’s huge, and especially on a couple of shutouts, we’ve limited to the teens in the shots,” Allen said, per NHL.com. “That’s an aspect from mine and Brian’s standpoint where that’s a credit to all the 20 guys in front of us; that’s not just us.

“It goes to show we’re on the upswing right now and we’re playing well heading into the [Stanley Cup Playoffs]. We’re right where we want to be.”

While tonight’s game is big for Colorado -- it could draw to within one point of Minnesota for the final wild card spot in the Western Conference, if all the results go right -- it’s also big for the Blues. They could move into first place in the Central Division and crack the 100-point plateau.

For the Avs, Semyon Varlamov is in goal.

Elsewhere...

-- Keith Kinkaid will start for the first time in four games as New Jersey hosts Boston. The B’s are expected to start Tuukka Rask.

-- Jean-Francois Berube has started two of the last three games, but Thomas Greiss will go tonight as the Isles host the ‘Canes. Cam Ward goes for Carolina.

-- Matt Murray gives Marc-Andre Fleury the night off in Pittsburgh. No word yet on who Buffalo will start, but Chad Johnson went last night.

-- Detroit is going to Petr Mrazek on the second of a back-to-back, after Jimmy Howard beat the Sabres on Monday. Montreal will give Mike Condon the start.

-- It’s Jonathan Bernier versus Roberto Luongo as the Leafs take on the Panthers in Florida.

-- Corey Crawford is still out injured (more on that here), so Scott Darling starts again for Chicago. Devan Dubnyk’s in for the Wild.

-- No confirmations out of Dallas, but Kari Lehtonen looks likely for the Stars. No word on a Nashville starter.

-- Jacob Markstrom will start as the Canucks host the Sharks. San Jose’s yet to announce a starter.