Blues Halfway Through Homestand

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The Blues are idle until Thursday night when they resume a six-game stint at home against Phoenix. Opening puckdrop is slated for 7:00. Andy Murray's team has lost a league-high seven games in regulation at home this season (Anaheim and Toronto have lost six in regulation at home).

The Note have a win and two losses thus far in the current homestand. The Blues beat Vancouver 6-1 before falling to Nashville and San Jose by matching 3-1 scores. Murray's club is still a mixed bag when it comes to special teams. The penalty kill is ranked sixth in the NHL and had nullified 18 straight power plays before allowing a goal to Dany Heatley on Saturday. The man-advantage, however, continues to dwell in the bottom of the league rankings and is 26th after going 0-for-6 against the Sharks. The shots are coming but the goals still aren't.

Following the Coyotes' appearance this week, the Blues will host recent top-overall pick John Tavares and the New York Islanders on Saturday. The Boston Bruins come to town for a test next Monday night in the finale. Tavares leads the Isles in scoring having netted eight while helping on 10 others in 20 games while registering a minus-one rating.

No word on the status of forward David Backes who suffered an upper-body inury in Saturday night's loss. The Blues held an off-ice workout earlier this morning at The Mills in Hazlewood.

TPC