St. Louis Blues Make Surprising Healthy Scratch
The Buffalo Sabres returned to the ice Thursday night to face a struggling St. Louis Blues team. The Blues have a tough start this season, holding a 4-8-2 record and going 1-6-2 in their last nine games, including a heavy 6-1 defeat to the Washington Capitals the previous night.
Decision to Scratch Jordan Kyrou
In search of answers, the Blues made the unexpected choice to healthy scratch Jordan Kyrou, according to Jeremy Rutherford of The Athletic. Head coach Jim Montgomery commented on the decision:
“Many players could have been scratched after last night’s game, and ultimately I decided on this group tonight.”
Implications of the Scratch
Kyrou is tied for second on the team in goals and points, making his benching quite notable. Entering this season, he had three consecutive campaigns with 30-plus goals and has not appeared to be a weak link for the Blues. He has also been a strong performer against the Buffalo Sabres, tallying nine points in 10 career games.
Advantages for the Buffalo Sabres
For Buffalo, this development is a positive sign, as they face one fewer top goal scorer from the Blues' lineup to contend with during the game.
Author's summary: The Blues’ surprising decision to bench top scorer Jordan Kyrou could benefit the struggling Buffalo Sabres as they face each other amid tough seasons.