Blues winger Zack Bolduc learned what to expect in the NHL while playing for Patrick Roy with the Quebec Remparts in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.
鈥淗e was really good for me,鈥 Bolduc said. 鈥淲e did video together. He was teaching me the National (Hockey) League game back in junior and I think that helped me.鈥
Now Bolduc is competing to stay in the Blues鈥 lineup and Roy is coaching the New York Islanders. Bolduc put the lessons learned under Roy to deliver a sturdy performance Thursday as the Blues edged the Islanders 1-0 in overtime.
鈥淚 thought 鈥楤oldy鈥 had a really good game,鈥 Blues coach Drew Bannister said. 鈥淗e had a really strong third period. For a young player going into that position a tight hockey game, I had a lot of trust in him.鈥
Bolduc established himself early in that game by landing a couple of big hits.
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鈥淚 kind of like doing this at the start of the game,鈥 he said. 鈥淚 put myself into the game. I get my body involved. I feel more involved in the game. It鈥檚 a thing I believe I can bring to my game.鈥
Bannister agrees 鈥 but he sensed Bolduc starting to drift Thursday night.
鈥淭here was a time where I think in the second period. I saw him swing away off a couple of checks,鈥 Bannister said. 鈥淚 just reminded him just finish, I don鈥檛 expect you to finish hard, just get a body on the guy and stay over the top of him.
鈥淭hen I saw concerted effort from him. In the third period I thought he was outstanding.鈥
In a 0-0 game, forwards must win board battles, put the puck in deep in the offensive zone and tilt the ice against their opponent. At times Bolduc鈥檚 line with Pavel Buchnevich and Jake Neighbours did that.
鈥淚t was a tight game defensively on both sides,鈥 Bolduc said. 鈥淚 think we stuck with it. Shift after shift, we were just building on the shifts of the other lines.鈥
In his last season in junior hockey, Bolduc was a dominant offensive player. He scored 50 goals and earned 60 assists in just 61 games.
Last season he finished well with the Blues, scoring three goals and earning two assists in his last five games. In five games this season, he has no goals and two assists 鈥 including one in the team鈥檚 4-3 victory Saturday night over Carolina.
While the Blues need him to score to stay in a top-six forward role, he must also play a strong all-around game.
鈥淚 want to create offense, I want to score some goals, I want to make some passes, I want to create offensive chances for my team,鈥 Bolduc said. 鈥淚 think if you鈥檙e playing the right way, these things will come. I think I鈥檝e been playing the right way lately. Just keep doing this and the points and goals will come.鈥
Bolduc鈥檚 strong play on and away from puck showed Roy that his junior instruction has paid off.
鈥淚t鈥檚 always special playing against him,鈥 Bolduc said. 鈥淚 saw him yesterday during the morning skate. It鈥檚 always fun to play against him.鈥
But, no, Bolduc did not chirp at his former coach during the game.
鈥淚 think we had one eye contact and smile,鈥 Bolduc said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 a great coach. I love my years with him.鈥
Toropchenko joins injury list
Winger Alexey Toropchenko was off the ice Saturday because of a lower-body injury suffered Thursday.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 foresee it being something that鈥檚 going to be long term,鈥 Bannister said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 probably day to day for him right now.鈥
Nathan Walker replaced Toropchenko on the fourth line after sitting out Thursday as a healthy scratch.
Also sidelined were defenseman Nick Leddy (lower body) and forwards Alexandre Texier (upper body) and Oskar Sundqvist (knee surgery).
Texier and Sundqvist appear to be close to returning. Leddy has not resumed skating, so he is questionable to return for Tuesday鈥檚 game against Winnipeg.
鈥淲e haven鈥檛 seen a lot of improvement in him,鈥 Bannister said.