Blues Eye Momentum as Neighbours, Snuggerud Expected to Suit Up vs. Blue Jackets
The St. Louis Blues are riding high after Thursday’s electric 5-4 win over the Florida Panthers, and they’re hoping to keep that momentum rolling into Saturday’s matchup against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
The good news? Forwards Jake Neighbours and Jimmy Snuggerud-both of whom found the back of the net in Thursday’s thriller-are expected to be in the lineup.
Neither player practiced on Friday, but head coach Jim Montgomery downplayed any concern, labeling their absence as “maintenance.” He added that both are dealing with soreness and will be game-time decisions based on how they’re feeling. For now, the expectation is that they’ll be ready to go.
Snuggerud’s impact against Florida was especially timely. With the game tied and just 8.4 seconds left on the clock, the rookie forward buried a power-play goal to seal the win. It was a statement moment for the young winger, who continues to grow into his role at the NHL level.
As a precaution, the Blues recalled Matt Luff from AHL Springfield under emergency conditions for the second time in three days. Luff, along with Hugh McGing, had originally been called up midweek due to injury concerns. While the hope is that Neighbours and Snuggerud will be good to go, Luff provides a safety net if either forward can’t suit up.
Meanwhile, center Pius Suter is inching closer to a return. He hasn’t played since December 27 due to a high ankle sprain, but he participated in a full practice on Friday and is officially a possibility for Saturday’s game. Montgomery noted that how Suter feels in the morning will be the deciding factor.
Suter, who’s set to represent Switzerland at the upcoming Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, is eager to get back into game action before heading overseas. This would be his second Olympic appearance, and while he’s taking a cautious approach with his recovery, he made it clear he’d like to contribute to the Blues before joining the national team.
“You can’t rush it,” Suter said of the injury. “But it would be nice to get a couple games in.
Obviously to also help the team. They’ve been battling hard the last few weeks here, got a nice win yesterday and got rewarded for it.”
The Blues have indeed been grinding. Thursday’s win didn’t come easy-Florida’s Matthew Tkachuk scored twice and added an assist-but St.
Louis responded with resilience. They flipped the script in the first period, leaned on a massive penalty kill in the third, and got clutch performances from players who weren’t even sure they’d be in the lineup.
Notably, Robert Thomas remains day-to-day with a lower-body injury, while Dylan Holloway, who’s also dealing with a high ankle sprain, will be sidelined through the Olympic break.
For a team that’s dealt with its fair share of bumps and bruises, Thursday’s win felt like a turning point. The Blues are getting timely contributions from their young guns, veterans are grinding through injuries, and the group is showing signs of cohesion at just the right time.
Saturday’s game offers another test-but if Neighbours, Snuggerud, and potentially Suter are back in the mix, the Blues will like their chances of keeping the good vibes going.