The St. Louis Blues couldn’t afford to lose high-scoring winger Vladimir Tarasenko as they chase a wild-card berth in the NHL’s Western Conference.
But Tarasenko suffered an apparent concussion during a 4-3 victory over the New York Rangers Saturday night. He exited that game after one period and he did not play Sunday’s game against the Chicago Blackhawks.
On the first shift of the Rangers game Tarasenko absorbed an elbow to the mouth from New York defenseman Neal Pionk as they battled for a puck.
Tarasenko left the ice holding his mouth, then he didn’t miss a shift for the rest of the first period. But when the Blues returned to the ice for the second period, Tarasenko didn’t come with them.
“I actually thought he was OK, but obviously I don’t know,” Blues coach Mike Yeo told reporters after the game. “The players know (how they feel) and I know Vlady. He’s a competitor and he wanted to be out there.”
Tarasenko has scored 27 goals and earned 31 assists in 71 games. During his previous three seasons he scored 116 goals while establishing himself as one of the NHL’s elite right wingers.
TARASENKO MOVED TO TOP LINE
With the Blues on the outside of the playoff bracket looking in, Yeo quit trying to balance his forward lines. To spark his sputtering offense, he reunited Tarasenko with center Brayden Schenn and winger Jaden Schwartz on a potent No. 1 line.
After Tarasenko’s injury Saturday night, Schenn scored the game-winning goal in the 4-3 victory. He leads the Blues in scoring with 59 points (25 goals, 34 assists) in 71 games. Schwartz, the third member of that line, has 50 points (20 goals, 30 assists) in 51 games.
INJURIES MAR BLUES SEASON
Earlier this season Schwartz missed 20 games after suffering a broken foot. Winger Robby Fabbri has missed the entire season after reinjuring his surgically repaired knee.
Forward Patrik Berglund missed 24 games after suffering a shoulder injury while training. Forward Zach Sanford suffered a shoulder injury in training camp and hasn’t played a NHL game this season.
On defense, veteran Jay Bouwmeester suffered a season-ending hip injury after earlier suffering a foot injury. Joel Edmundson just returned from a broken arm. And in goal, red-hot Carter Hutton suffered a neck injury during the stretch run, forcing Yeo to go back to Jake Allen.
Now Tarasenko’s indefinite absence just adds to the pile.
