(11-7-24) Utah Hockey Club-St. Louis Blues Gameday Lineup

ST. LOUIS — Dylan Holloway seems good to go, but St. Louis Blues coach Drew Bannister said the forward is a game-time decision when the Blues (6-6-0) host the Utah Hockey Club (5-5-3) in the third of a five-game homestand at 7 p.m. (FDSNMW, ESPN 101.1-FM) .

Holloway was involved in a scary situation Tuesday when he was hit in the neck area with a puck and was carried off the ice and sent to the hospital late in the first period of a 3-2 win against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Holloway rode the bike Wednesday and was on the ice for an optional morning skate.

“I was fine, I felt completely normal,” Holloway said. “Ready to go.

“… I just want to go out there and kind of forget about it, put it in the past. I feel good, just excited to get out there.”

Bannister did not want to commit to playing Holloway just yet.

“He’s going to be a game-time decision,” Bannister said. “Ride the bike yesterday, was out on the ice this morning, pushed himself hard, but we want to see how he reacts throughout the day so we’ll make a decision at game time.”

Although he considered himself fit and ready to go, Holloway said it was up to them over him.

“I kind of just left it in their hands,” he said. “When he spoke to the doctor at the hospital he said no activity for 24 hours, but other than that I’m fine. All my tests came back good. No more, injuries, nothing. It was the best news I could get .I feel like I’m ready to go.

Former Blues defender Robert Bortuzzowho spent parts of 10 seasons with the Blues (2015-24), is back as a guest player for the first time since the Blues traded him to the New York Islanders last season.

Bortuzzo has since signed a one-year, $775,000 contract with Utah, will receive a video tribute tonight during the game, but will not be in the lineup.

“It’s great (to be back in St. Louis),” Bortuzzo said. “It wasn’t that long ago that I spent 10 good years here. I got to see some friends last night. Pretty special to walk in here. Cool to look up at the (Stanley Cup) banner and everything. It kind of feels, that we really did” I’m not leaving, to be honest, I’m excited to be in Utah and excited to keep my career going here.”

We want more from the player his teammates call ‘Bobbo’ about his role in the NHL, his time here and what it means to be a part of a special moment in Blues history.

Blues Expected Lineup:

Dylan Holloway-Pavel Buchnevich-Jake Neboer

Brandon Saad-Brayden Schenn-Jordan Kyrou

Alexey Toropchenko-Radek Faksa-Nathan Walker

Alexandre Texier-Oskar Sundqvist-Zack Bolduc

Ryan Suter-Colton Parayko

Pierre-Olivier Joseph-Justin Faulk

Scott Perunovich-Matthew Kessel

Joel Hofer will start in finish; Jordan Binnington will be backup.

The Blues have no healthy scratches. Robert Thomas (ankle), Nick Leddy (lower body), Philip Broberg (knee), Mathieu Joseph (lower body) and Kasperi Kapanen (upper body) are all out.

Utah’s projected lineup:

Clayton Keller-Logan Cooley-Dylan Guenther

Matias Maccelli-Barrett Hayton-Nick Schmaltz

Alexander Kerfoot-Nick Bjugstad-Lawson Crouse

Jack McBain-Kevin Stenlund-Michael Carcone

Mikhail Sergachev-Michael Kesselring

Ian Cole-Maverick Lamoureux

Olli Maatta-Jusso Valimaki

Connor Ingram will start in goal; Karel Vejmelka will be the backup.

Healthy scratches include Robert Bortuzzo, Liam O’Brien and Vladislav Kolyachonok. Sean Durzi (upper body) and John Marino (upper body) is out.