ST. LOUIS, Mo.– The Blues will get right wing Vladimir Tarasenko back into the lineup against the Vancouver Canucks today (7 p.m.; FS-MW, KMOX 1120-AM) after he missed two games with an upper-body injury.
Tarasenko missed his first regular-season games since Dec. 31, 2015.
"It was kind of hard and sometimes excited because guys do a really good job," Tarasenko said of the Blues winning all three games (including the one period he played) without him. "It's been a while since I missed the games so it was kind of weird feelings but now I feel good and ready to help the team.
"It's obviously doesn't matter who's playing and who's not right now. Everybody try to fight for win in every game. Guys do a good job and I was really proud of this team and how they played last three games. I hope I can help them keep winning. ... It's been a couple years (missing games), but it's happened sometimes. It was hard but excited. It's good thing guys win and it was really fun games to watch."
Tarasenko practiced on Thursday and Blues coach Mike Yeo said after the skate he needed to see how Tarasenko, who was injured early in the first period against the New York Rangers last Saturday on an elbow to the face, responded to Friday's morning skate and got the answer he was looking for.
"We got the thumbs up, so 'Vladi's in," Yeo said, who indicated Tarasenko will play with Brayden Schenn and Jaden Schwartz. "It was up to him. This time of year we're dying to get 'Vladi' back in the lineup, excited to have him back in the lineup, it was just a matter of him making sure he's good to go."
Tarasenko leads the Blues with 27 goals and is second in points with 58 behind Schenn's 62.
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"We're going to need [Tarasenko] these last nine games," Schenn said. "We're going to need him to score some goals for us. That's what he does and that's what he does best. It's obviously a huge boost to our team heading down the stretch here and we're glad to have him back."
Tarasenko will go back on the top power-play unit with Vince Dunn moving back to the second unit.
The Blues had gone a stretch of three power-play goals in four chances with Dunn up there, but after going 0-for-2 against the Boston Bruins Wednesday, Yeo wanted to change.
"I didn't think it was very good the last game," Yeo said of the power play. "'Vladi's an incredibly dynamic player so we need him to come in and fit in and help us out, continue to where to do what that group was doing strongly and that's moving the puck around, shooting from all angles, and making high percentage plays. So we talked about him there.
"The other factor is by taking 'Dunner' off there, it's going to strengthen our second unit. We're going to need goals from that unit. It's hard to just rely on one one unit all the time. Teams that are successful on the power play, they get both units scoring goals and I think with the set up we have right now, that group should be capable."
