BUFFALO • Mike Yeo is getting the band back together. For 16 games earlier in the season, Jaden Schwartz, Braden Schenn and Vladimir Tarasenko made beautiful music together.
On Saturday against the Buffalo Sabres, Yeo is reuniting that line for the Blues.
"That line for a good period of time was arguably the best line in hockey," Yeo said following the Blues' morning skate Saturday. "Certainly it was in the conversation of the best line in hockey. I think that getting them back together provides us with a real dangerous threat."
Yeo first put the trio together in the 10th game of the season, Oct. 25 against Calgary, and the group clicked almost immediately. They played together for 16 of the next 17 games, before Yeo went with another combo shortly before Schwartz took a puck off the foot in Detroit on Dec. 9 and missed the next 6 1/2 weeks.
When Schwartz returned last week, Schenn was going well on a line with Alexander Steen, so Yeo kept them together and put Schwartz with them. But trailing Boston 1-0 entering the third period Thursday, Yeo put Schwartz, Schenn and Tarasenko back together, and the group produced a late goal in a 6-on-5 situation with goalie Jake Allen pulled.
"Obviously not scoring a five-on-five goal last game, good opportunity to make some switches here," Yeo said. "We still have threats on lines two, three, four _ whatever. We still believe that we have groups that can go out there and create momentum and create energy and create offense for us.
"Some lines have a little bit different dynamic than others. Obviously (Paul Stastny's) line, we need those guys to be a little bit more dangerous offensively, or create a little bit more. Have a little bit more of an offensive mindset than say (Kyle Brodziak's) line.
"But that said, they're all responsible and they're all straightforward lines. And again that top line can be pretty dynamic."
HUTTON'S BACK
After giving way to Allen in goal Thursday against Boston, Carter Hutton gets the start tonight in Buffalo.
"That was the plan all along," Yeo said. "I think Jake knows the plan and we'll stick with it."
Prior to Boston, Hutton had started 10 of the previous 12 Blues games, going 8-1-1 in that stretch with a 1.72 goals-against average and a save percentage of .942.
"Not really too many days off," Hutton said. "I just played on Tuesday (against Montreal). It's good. It's gonna be a good challenge."
After all the playing time he's seen lately, Hutton was asked if it was a little different to be watching on Thursday in Boston.
"No. Not at all," he said. "Need two goalies to play. I knew I wasn't gonna play every game. (Allen) knows he's not gonna play every game. You need two elite goalies to compete in this league and to do well."
That being said, Hutton was glad to see Allen come up with a strong performance, albeit in a 3-1 loss to the Bruins.
"It was great," Hutton said. "I wasn't too surprised. He's a competitor and he's been working so hard. And some extra time off's sometimes good. . . .I could tell he was focused. I think he was the difference in that game. I thought he was the best player on the ice from start to finish."
PROJECTED BLUES LINEUP
Forwards
Schwartz-Schenn-Tarasenko
Sobotka-Statstny-Steen
Barbashev-Berglund-Thompson
Jaskin-Brodziak-Thorburn
Defensemen
Gunnarsson-Pietrangelo
Bouwmeester-Parayko
Edmundson-Dunn
Goalie
Hutton
That leaves Scottie Upshall and Robert Bortuzzo as the scratches.
BRING ON THE SABRES
In their first game following the Schwartz injury, the Blues defeated Buffalo 3-2 in overtime on Dec. 10 in St. Louis. The Blues took a 2-0 lead into the third period, but the Sabres rallied to send the game into OT tied 2-2 before Tarasenko scored the game-winning goal.
"They've got a lot of skilled players," Hutton said. "I think for us we want to stick to our 5-on-5 game and play structured. They got some dangerous guys up front, so if we're gonna stay in the (penalty) box and get in trouble, they're gonna make us pay."
Yeo is wary of the previously-struggling Buffalo power play, which has scored six times in the last four games.
"So discipline's gonna be important," Yeo said. "Good group of forwards, lot of skill with (Jack) Eichel, (Ryan) O'Reilly, (Evander) Kane, just to mention a few guys."
PROJECTED SABRES LINEUP
Forwards
Kane-Eichel-Okposo
Wilson-O'Reilly-Reinhart
Girgensons-Rodrigues-Pominville
Nolan-Josefson-Pouliot
Defensemen
Scandella-Ristolainen
McCabe-Antipin
Beaulieu-Nelson
Goalie
Lehner
