Mon Nov 25 23:50:00 UTC 2024: ## Blues Begin Montgomery Era with Tweaked Lineup Against Rangers

**NEW YORK, NY** – Jim Montgomery officially kicked off his tenure as St. Louis Blues head coach today, unveiling a slightly adjusted lineup for the team’s game against the New York Rangers tonight. While the overall structure remains largely the same, Montgomery, in his opening media address, hinted at an offensive focus.

“This is an offensive-slanted team, and it just shows you how hard it is to score,” Montgomery said. “We’ve got to get the details right and be in the hard areas at the right times.”

Key changes include the return of Zack Bolduc to the third line, centered by Oskar Sundqvist, allowing Radek Faksa to rejoin Alexey Toropchenko and Nathan Walker on the fourth line. Additionally, Jordan Kyrou and Jake Neighbours appear to have swapped positions on the top two lines.

While Montgomery didn’t explicitly confirm the lineup for tonight’s game, he emphasized a balanced coaching philosophy. “I’m coaching for today, but also for tomorrow,” he explained. “It’s about balancing competitiveness now with the development of the team. The team and the Blue Note always come first.”

The defensive pairings are expected to remain unchanged from the previous game, with Joel Hofer slated to start in net.

**Projected Lineup:**

* **Forwards:**
* Pavel Buchnevich – Robert Thomas – Jake Neighbours
* Brandon Saad – Brayden Schenn – Jordan Kyrou
* Dylan Holloway – Oskar Sundqvist – Zack Bolduc
* Alexey Toropchenko – Radek Faksa – Nathan Walker
* **Defense:**
* Ryan Suter – Colton Parayko
* Scott Perunovich – Justin Faulk
* P.O Joseph – Matthew Kessel
* **Goaltender:** Joel Hofer

The Blues face the Rangers at Madison Square Garden tonight at 6 p.m. CT. The game will be broadcast on FanDuel Sports Network and 101 ESPN.

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