Blues defenseman Philip Broberg collides with Blackhawks forward Ryan Donato during the Winter Classic on Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024, at Wrigley Field in Chicago.
The Blues will have their hands full Thursday with the Vegas Golden Knights in their rematch at Enterprise Center.
And they may face that challenge without key defenseman Philip Broberg, who suffered an apparent right leg injury late in Wednesday’s practice.
Broberg went down along the left boards in the defensive zone during a three-on-three drill. He needed help getting up and getting off the ice.
“They’re evaluating him right now,†Blues coach Jim Montgomery said after practice. “So I’ll have something for you tomorrow.â€
Broberg, who was sidelined earlier this season with a right knee injury, has three goals, 12 assists and a plus-8 rating in 35 games. If he can’t play, Scott Perunovich could replace him.
Perunovich has two goals, four assists and a plus-1 rating in 24 games. He hasn’t played since Jan. 4 while serving as the extra defenseman.
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As the Blues battle to stay in the Western Conference playoff chase, they are facing postseason-style atmospheres.
Last week, they played the Calgary Flames in an unusual back-to-back set at Enterprise Center. This week, they are playing an unusual home-and-home set with the Knights.
The Blues earned 2-1 and 4-1 victories over the Flames. After their disappointing 4-2 loss Saturday at Utah, they edged the Golden Knights 5-4 in a shootout Monday after losing their late 4-2 lead.
That set the stage for their rematch on Thursday. As in the playoffs, player memories will be fresh when teams play consecutive games.
For the Blues, those memories are positive.
“I thought we played a hard game. They’re a good team,†Blues captain Brayden Schenn said. “We played hard defensively, tight checking. They just made a couple of good shots on the six-on-five. But all in all, I thought the third period was pretty good.
“Good game. Now we know how hard it’s going to be to win that next one.â€
The Golden Knights were 18-6-0 at home before suffering the shootout loss to the Blues, so that victory was notable.
“Obviously playing them again at home, it’s a situation where if you steal one on the road it puts you in a good spot when you play them again at home,†Blues winger Jake Neighbours said. “We did a good job. I’m proud of the guys. Regroup and got ’em again in a couple of days.â€
Montgomery noted that playing consecutive games against one of the NHL’s top teams creates a challenge.
“The key is how we prepare, not only X’s and O’s but mentally,†Montgomery said. “We know that Vegas is one of the best teams in the league. We needed to be better than we were last game. We were good last game, but we will need to be better because (the Golden Knights) are going to dig in.
“ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ won the Stanley Cup two years ago. They are one of the top teams in point percentage right now, so it’s great challenge for us. We look at is as an opportunity.â€
The Golden Knights are 1-5-1 in their past seven games, so they will be looking to regain traction.
The Flames currently hold the last playoff slot on this side of the league with 51 points in 45 games. The Vancouver Canucks (50 points in 46 games) and the Blues (50 points in 48 games) are right behind.
Thursday opens a three-game homestand for the Blues, with games against the Dallas Stars on Saturday and the Canucks on Monday to follow. The Blues are just 11-10-1 at Enterprise Center, so they will need to reestablish a home-ice advantage to remain in the chase.
