Neighbours puts himself into the middle of offensive fray: Blues Extra

CHICAGO — Jake Neighbours always has been up for the battle. That’s why the Blues picked the winger 26th in the 2020 draft.

And now that Neighbours is getting his game up to NHL speed, he is getting more opportunity to put that willingness to work. Coach Craig Berube is giving Neighbours a shot to earn a net-front slot on one of the power-play units and take some scoring-line spins with center Robert Thomas and winger Pavel Buchnevich.

“I've played with them a little bit before, and a little bit for the game (Friday),” Neighbours said. “Obviously, two elite players. I think my job is pretty simple is to be a good forechecking linemate, create stalls for them and get to the net, and try and create havoc around the net and open up lanes for them."

Neighbours extended his point streak to five games (five goals, one assist) by scoring twice Sunday in the Blues' 4-2 victory over Chicago. In that span, his time on ice increased from 10:14 to 11:45, 14:14, 16:37 and 17:32.

Berube is always asking his forwards to score more goals on the inside — and Neighbours has never been afraid to go to the tough areas of ice.

“That's a mindset that I don't think Jake's going to be intimidated by,” Berube said. “I'm not worried about that at all. He doesn't have that in him.”

Neighbours wasn’t a fancy player for the Edmonton Oil Kings as he scored 26 goals in his last 49 regular season games in the Western Hockey League. He got into the face of opposing goaltenders.

“It's always how I play,” Neighbours said. “I played that way in junior. I think a lot of guys make a killing around the net. It's where a lot of goals go in. I think it's important to be a guy that gets there, and is effective around there. I think you'll get rewarded if you go there."

Neighbours had to learn how to muscle up against NHL-caliber defensemen and absorb heavier punishment.

“You're playing against men and bigger guys for sure that are stronger and well-seasoned veterans that are good at boxing out, good at doing little things,” Berube said. “It takes a little bit of time to learn and spinning off people and finding position on them.”

While the NHL has cracked down on the ugly medieval-style stick work of the (Chuck) Norris Division era, forwards who camp down low still take a fair amount of abuse while trying to make life difficult for goaltenders.

"It's not fun,” Neighbours said. “I mean, it's rewarding when you go there and you get rewarded, it's nice. But there's a lot of cross-checking involved. Obviously, big defensemen that are trying to not let you get there.

“It is just a mindset to be willing to go to the paint. I think it creates havoc. You're always taking a guy or two with you there. Opens up lanes in the offensive zone for other guys."

With Neighbours moving up the lineup and winger Jakub Vrana moving back to active duty, Berube wanted to test forward combinations that spread scoring over three lines.

He tried Jordan Kyrou with Kevin Hayes and Brandon Saad and got a quick first-period goal, with Hayes converting a three-on-two rush.

“Saader's a driver; he'll drive it deep and he'll win his battles down there,” Berube said. “Haysie's a puck-possession guy in the offensive zone; he'll hang onto pucks and make more room for Kyrou, I'm hoping. That's what we're hoping for.”

Vrana returned to a scoring role with Brayden Schenn and Kasperi Kapanen to open the game.

Goaltender roulette

Berube went back Jordan Binnington in goal. In the team’s previous five games, he made mid-game goaltending changes three times.

Had he ever had such a stretch during his coaching career?

“Not too often,” Berube said. “You obviously have stretches in a year, throughout the years, where maybe you have to swap them out a little bit, but not too often.”

There was no change Sunday, as Binnington stopped 32 of the 34 shots he faced.

Zherenko earns shutout

Down in the AHL, Vadim Zherenko made 33 saves Saturday to earn a 7-0 victory for the Springfield Thunderbirds over the Utica Comets. He lowered his goals-against average to 2.79 and improved his save percentage to .921.

Slow-starting prospects got on the board for Springfield. Zach Dean scored his first goal of the season and Zachary Bolduc scored his third. Bolduc had three goals and six assists in his first 19 games.

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