DALLAS -- The praise couldn't have been more enough from Blues coach Ken Hitchcock Monday night after the Blues' 3-2 overtime loss to the Edmonton Oilers.
The Blues (17-11-5), who turn back around and play the Dallas Stars (13-14-6) today at 7:30 p.m. got another terrific performance from ... its fourth line.
Kyle Brodziak, who scored Monday for the third time in seven games, Ryan Reaves and Scottie Upshall are giving the Blues all they could ask for, and then some.
In The Slot
By Lou Korac. Get the latest Blues News from St. Louis' NHL.com beat writer.
"The physical part's fine, but man, they are on the same page and have been on the same page for a month," Hitchcock said. "It almost makes them a third line the way they're playing. I can put them out against anybody. There's one power play Edmonton got. They're playing 15 shifts on average, 16 shifts 5-on-5, that's third-line time. It's because I trust them. They're doing everything and more. They're scoring, they're creating zone time, they're winning battles, they're making plays. They're really helping our team right now.
Photos: Blues in '16 - '17
"I don't know where we'd be without that line and the way they contribute. They're really doing a number for us."
Brodziak finished with 11 minutes, 12 seconds of ice time in 16 shifts, Upshall was at 10:12 in 14 shifts and Reaves was at 9:13 in 14 shifts.
Perhaps the coach would be wise to give them more time, if not a few more shifts with the way they're playing.
Another line Hitchcock likes is the one with Patrik Berglund, Alexander Steen and David Perron, who handled the task of containing Connor McDavid's line Monday and Chicago's Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane and Artemi Panarin on Saturday.
"I liked the way Bergy's line played," Hitchcock said. "They've got an identity. They didn't spend much time in our own zone. I just like the job they're doing.
"They're playing hard, determined and it's very demanding hockey. They're playing against top players. I just like the way they're playing right now. I like the way they're competing, I like the way they're hard on the puck, I like the way they're buying into what we need to do. The Berglund line and the Brodziak line, those are really good lines to follow right now."
