Blues can run win streak to season-high five at Arizona
Jaden Schwartz is making up for some lost time by playing a major role in the St. Louis Blues' winning stretch. He's also performed very well at Arizona during his young career.
The talented winger looks to maintain his strong play and help the visiting Blues win a season-high fifth straight game and continue their dominance of the Coyotes on Saturday night.
Schwartz posted 53 goals the past two seasons and a career-high 63 points in 2014-15, but had only four assists through the first seven games of his third full NHL campaign before breaking his ankle in late October. Schwartz missed 49 games but since returning last Friday, has three goals with an assist coinciding with St. Louis' four-game winning streak.
His goal 1:40 into overtime against Los Angeles on Thursday extended the Blues' point streak to a season-high six games with a third straight 2-1 victory.
"He is a special offensive player," St. Louis associate coach Brad Shaw said. "He's got exceptional vision and quickness."
Schwartz has recorded four goals and five assists in five games at Arizona, earning his first hat trick in a 6-1 road win over the Coyotes on Oct. 18, 2014.
In the midst of a 12-1-1 stretch against the Coyotes, the Blues (34-17-9) have won six straight at Arizona and own a 26-6 goal advantage in the last five. St. Louis also extended its overall series winning streak to six games with a 4-1 home victory Dec. 8.
Brian Elliott was not in the Blues' net for that contest, but is 11-3-2 with a 1.62 goals-against average over a career-high 16 straight starts since Jake Allen (knee) was placed on injured reserve Jan. 9.
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"If everybody is playing their role it makes it a lot easier to track things ... and pick things up," said Elliott, who has a 1.31 goals-against average and .959 save percentage in the last six.
Elliott has posted a 1.48 GAA while winning five of his last six starts against the Coyotes. He's won three straight at Arizona -- the last two by shutout.
The Coyotes (27-24-6), though, will try for a fourth consecutive home win after totaling a season-high six goals in back-to-back contests. They haven't scored at least that many in three straight since Jan. 10-16, 1990, when the franchise was in Winnipeg.
"If we win 1-0, we'll take that too," rookie Max Domi told the NHL's official website after he had two goals and an assist in Thursday's 6-3 win over Dallas. "But when you catch a wave, you want to ride it as long as you can."
Martin Hanzal has a goal in three consecutive games and two assists in each of the last two. Anthony Duclair has two goals and five assists in the last five for the Coyotes, who are 10th in the West but four points back of the final wild-card spot.
Arizona is 10 for 30 on the power play in seven games since going 1 for 28 in the previous seven.
The Blues have killed 36 of 38 penalties in eight games, and converted 7 of 29 of their power-play chances in the last six. They were 0 for 19 in the previous eight contests.
St. Louis rookie Robby Fabbri has three goals in four games.
