Blues get Tarasenko back for Game 1

The St. Louis Blues will get a much needed injection of skill and offensive ability this evening with sniper Vladimir Tarasenko making his return to the lineup for Game 1 of the team's Stanley Cup Playoff series against the Colorado Avalanche.

Tarasenko missed the Blues' final seven regular season games and only managed 24 games for the team this season. That's just 34 regular season games for Tarasenko in the past two years.

“He’s one of the guys that can turn something out of nothing with a quick little play or shot,” said Ryan O'Reilly on Monday, via the Blues’ website. “He’s so dynamic that way. Having him back, he’s a big spark for us. He’s a huge piece of this team and it will be nice to see him back with us.”

There's no denying the fact that the Blues face an uphill battle against the President's Trophy winning Avalanche in this series, but Tarasenko's addition to the Blues lineup will certainly give them a boost.